Vanderbilt had always been one of my dream schools. VUSN prides itself on diversity and making sure students have invaluable experiences.
Prestigious Program with Exceptional Outcomes
- Dual program weaves together a rigorous curriculum to produce outstanding CNM/FNPs upon graduation
- Students learn from actively practicing faculty who combine classroom instruction with hands-on clinical practice experience
- Classes are small and collaborative, with low faculty-to-student ratios and personalized attention.
Curriculum & Objectives
The dual program offers a rigorous curriculum, low faculty-to-student ratios and one of the nation’s largest nurse-midwifery faculty practices in a university setting. Our practice-active faculty use a mix of traditional classroom settings, simulated experiences and clinical training to fully prepare students for their careers.
The FNP curriculum incorporates the 2021 AACN Essentials, assuring students receive a comprehensive and up-to-date education that meets the highest standards in nursing education and assures they are well-prepared for practice. The Nurse-Midwifery curriculum is based on the 2020 Core Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice developed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. The ACNM 2020 Competencies provide clear information on what is included within our curriculum as preparation for nurse-midwifery practice.
Clinical Experience
The Nurse-Midwifery and Family NP program directors, faculty and clinical placement staff work to ensure all students have productive clinical experiences. For the nurse-midwifery portion, the School of Nursing finds students' midwifery clinical sites. For the Family NP portion, students work with faculty and clinical placement staff to secure clinical rotations that provide experience with patients across the lifespan. These placements are arranged by the Family NP faculty liaison and Clinical Placement Office. Students in the dual midwifery/FNP program may have clinical rotations outside of the Nashville area to expose them to regional differences in nurse-midwifery and lifespan care. Local placements are assigned based upon availability.
Time Commitment
This accelerated specialty is best suited for motivated, self-directed learners who can master large amounts of complex material in a short time. Balancing full-time or part-time work with the program’s rigorous, full-time, accelerated curriculum is not recommended, although the specialty can be completed on a part-time basis. The dual NM/FNP specialty is 6 semesters (24 months) for full-time students and 9 for part time.
Outcomes
Nurse-Midwife/Family Nurse Practitioner graduates can choose to work in a variety of practice settings such as ambulatory care centers, correctional facilities, global health clinics, health departments, medical offices, migrant clinics, military sites, nurse-managed clinics, private practices, rural health clinics, work-site based clinics and birth centers. Graduation from this MSN specialty prepares students to take the national certification exams, offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board for the FNP portion of their credentials, and the American Midwifery Certification Board, for the CNM portion of their credentials.
Many of our NM/FNP students are driven to practice in rural, global or resource-limited health settings. They pursue the dual education to amplify their impact and meet the needs of underserved populations.
Take the Next Step
The dual Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner specialty is available as part of the Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing Prespecialty, Post-Master's Certificate and BSN to DNP programs. Contact admissions counselor Stephen White with questions.
For more information from the specialty director, view this webinar.