Clinical Faculty at NMI
In an apprenticeship-based midwifery education program, a student’s preceptor plays a crucial role in that student’s midwifery education and training. NMI Clinical Faculty are tasked with teaching the hands-on midwifery skills that are fundamental in the transformation each student makes from student into midwife.
Clinical Faculty are responsible for teaching in the discipline areas in which they have specific training and/or competence and/or teaching under supervision in the discipline or discipline areas in which they have minimal training and/or competence. Plans, organizes, teaches, and provides feedback to promote and direct student learning in keeping with NMI’s values and in a manner that meets the NARM Skills, MEAC Essential Competencies, ICM Core Competencies, and state and/or federal requirements.
In keeping with our mission to provide decentralized midwifery education, NMI does not place students with preceptors. Rather, NMI students are responsible for finding and securing their own preceptorships, ideally in their home communities or within the communities they hope to one day serve.
Typically, NMI students work with a single preceptor, who teaches all essential clinical skills to the student. However, some students work in multi-preceptor practices, or apprentice with two midwifery practices at the same time. NMI supports the primacy of the student-preceptor relationship and allows preceptor-student pairs to create their best arrangements for their work together.
Preceptor Requirements
Clinical Faculty (Preceptors) for National Midwifery Institute must be credentialed health professionals providing primary care for pregnancy and birth in an out-of-hospital setting, including postpartum care, newborn care., and reproductive health family planning care.
All precepting faculty must:
Be a health professional who provides primary care for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the newborn;
Be a certified, licensed, or otherwise recognized as a provider in their jurisdiction:
Midwives practicing where midwifery is neither regulated nor prohibited by enforcement of existing law must maintain the CPM credential.
Midwives and other providers practicing in states where licensure is required must maintain licensure.
All applicable certifications, licenses, and other documentation required must be unencumbered by holds/investigations/disciplinary action of any kind during active instruction and supervision of the NMI student.
Have at least three (3) years of work experience in clinical midwifery practice - OR - a minimum of 50 births as the primary attendant;
Be in active practice in an out of hospital setting;
Practice in a state where NMI has Permission to Operate;
Comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws pertaining to midwifery practice.
The preceptor may:
Be a midwife (LM, RM, CPM, CNM), family practice physician, or other care provider. If the preceptor is not a midwife, they are expected to make additional clinical experiences and practice opportunities available to students as appropriate for the student’s skill acquisition and in accordance with the provider’s practice policies;
Need to meet additional requirements, and/or complete additional registration or paperwork depending on the state, region, or country in which they practice, OR to meet qualifications required by the state, region, or country in which the student wishes to practice upon graduation.
Students and preceptors are responsible for doing the research necessary to determine what these additional requirements may be, and to fulfill them.
The Faculty Minimum Qualifications Policy and Procedures provides additional requirements and information on Key Responsibilities of the Clinical Preceptor. In addition, preceptors should become familiar with the NMI Student Handbook (particularly areas related to Clinical Instruction & Apprenticeship, Preceptor Evaluation Process, and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities).
Preceptors must complete a three-step process, including an initial application, completion of the Clinical Site Form ensuring an adequate and safe learning site, and completion of the Preceptor/Student Work Agreement.
