Purpose/Objectives
Welcome to the professional ranks of the Certified Nurse-Midwife and Certified Midwife. One of your professional responsibilities is to maintain current certification. The Certificate Maintenance Program (CMP) is designed to assist CNMs/CMs to fulfill their professional responsibility to maintain competence.
The AMCB defines continuing competence as demonstrating specified levels of knowledge, skills, or ability not only at the time of initial certification but throughout an individual’s professional career. The Certificate Maintenance Program is designed to assist CNMs/CMs in demonstrating this.
Individuals who have not completed the requirements of the CMP at the end of their current certification cycle will not be issued a new certificate. Individuals without current CNM/CM certificates may not be able to continue to practice midwifery depending on their state licensing/regulating bodies.
The objectives of the Certificate Maintenance Program are to:
- Keep CNMs/CMs certifications valid and current.
- Foster critical review of recent advances in midwifery practice.
- Provide documentation of CNMs/CMs certification status as required to credentialing/licensing authorities.
Certificate Maintenance Program Requirements
Certification for CNMs/CMs can be maintained by one of the following methods:
Option 1: AMCB Certificate Maintenance Module Method
Successfully complete 3 AMCB Certificate Maintenance Modules during the five-year certification cycle. The five-year cycle begins with the year following certification. One module must be completed in EACH of the three areas of practice: Antepartum and Primary Care; Intrapartum, Postpartum, and Newborn; and Gynecologic, Sexual, Reproductive, and Primary Care.
AND
Obtain 20 contact hours of approved continuing education units.
***The Certificate Maintenance Modules completed cannot count toward the required 20 contact hours.
AND
Paying annual fees and any applicable late fees for each of those years and any other charges or fees (e.g., for articles ordered). All fees must be paid in full by December 31st of the year your certificate will expire.
AND
Completion of the online Recertification Application once all other CMP requirements are submitted.
Option 2: Reexamination Method
Take the current AMCB Certification Examination no sooner than the fourth (4th) year of the current five-year certification cycle.
- Once the exam is taken, the CNM/CM may not change to Option 1.
- The exam must be passed by the end of the fifth (5th) year of the certification cycle.
- Criteria for passing and retaking the exam will be the same as those in effect for first time candidates at the time the exam is taken.
AND
Paying the National Certification Examination fee ($500) in lieu of annual fees.
AND
Completion of the online Recertification Application once all other CMP requirements are submitted.
Rationale
The primary purpose of the CMP is to ensure certified nurse-midwives (CNM) and certified midwives (CM) maintain the highest level of knowledge in all areas of midwifery practice throughout their careers. This goal is met through two certificate maintenance options, both of which require up-to-date evidence-based knowledge of current practice in obstetrics, gynecology, newborn, and primary care.
Option 1 requires CNM/CMs to complete three modules over a 5 year period and submit proof of 20 hours of relevant continuing education. Each module contains current evidence-based articles and the full scope of midwifery practice is sufficiently covered within the 3 existing modules. These articles are updated every 3 years to ensure current information is included. Each module also requires an attestation that the articles were read and completion of a post-test that assesses key points in each of the articles.
The required education hours can be completed through a variety of options that include (but are not limited to) attending a conference, publishing an article, or precepting midwifery students. All of the options require proof of attendance or validation/verification. Attendance at a relevant educational conference enhances knowledge thorough review of current practice updates and management strategies. The other options all require a CNM/CM to be up-to-date on specific areas of practice and are subject to fairly rigorous outside standards for selection and/or participation.
Option 2 allows a CNM/CM to retake the certification exam as another means to demonstrate continued competence in midwifery practice. The creation of the certification exam undergoes a rigorous process that is constantly updated to include current evidence-based knowledge, skills, and abilities. In order to successfully pass this exam, a CNM/CM would need to be up-to-date on current midwifery knowledge and practice guidelines.
Retirement
For more information about the process for retirement of your Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) or Certified Midwife (CM) certification, visit the FAQs.
Preview and download the Certificate Maintenance Program Brochure:
If you have any questions, please visit our
FAQs or contact:
Emily Phillips
Certificate Maintenance Program Coordinator
Phone: 410-694-9424 ext. 7015