NURSE-MIDWIFERY - ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSING

This article traces the roots and history of nurse-midwifery in the Un ited States in order to demonstrate the reality of midwifery as a prof ession in its own right. From its beginnings in the late 1920s, the pr ofession has gradually evolved from its clear roots in nursing to an i dentity of its own expressed through its professional organization the American College of Nurse-Midwives. A review of other countries' expe riences with midwifery reflect much of the U.S. process and results. T he future challenge for both professions is to determine how they can exist in harmony, recognizing that they are complementary roles.