UF College of Nursing nurse-midwifery specialty reaccredited and commended for good work
The University of Florida’s nurse-midwifery program recently received its full eight-year reaccreditation with no recommendations, the best possible rating given by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Division of Accreditation.
This specialty, based at the UF College of Nursing’s Jacksonville campus, is one of only two accredited nurse-midwifery graduate programs in Florida and 40 in the country. It offers a traditional master’s degree, an accelerated R.N. to B.S.N./ M.S.N. degree and a cooperative degree with the University of South Florida in Tampa via distance-delivery education.
The ACNM Division of Accreditation, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, establishes specific criteria for accreditation to recognize midwifery programs that comply with the philosophy, purposes and objectives set forth by its faculty and meet standards established for preparing competent certified nurse-midwives. Students who graduate from ACNM-accredited programs are eligible to take the ACNM Certification Council’s national examination, which is required for licensure in most states.
The ACNM’s board of review commended the college’s coordinator of the nurse-midwifery track, Alice Poe, D.S.N., C.N.M., F.A.C.N.M., and program faculty for their work.
They also praised the development of the cooperative degree initiative between UF and USF, which facilitates access to nurse-midwifery education in the state.
“Accreditation guarantees current and future students that the UF midwifery track offers a sound preparation for practicing as a certified nurse-midwife,” said Poe, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing’s department of women’s, children’s and family nursing. “The scrutiny with which the program is examined during the accreditation process documents that graduates are prepared for safe, competent practice, according to the ACNM core competencies. We are proud to have had continuous national accreditation since 1982.”
In addition, the board commended the commitment of the UF College of Nursing to increasing access to a diverse community of students by recruiting persons from disadvantaged backgrounds, medically underserved areas and underrepresented minorities.
“The reaccreditation of the nurse-midwifery specialty reflects the College of Nursing’s commitment to the achievement of high national standards for both faculty and students,” said Rose Nealis, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., a College of Nursing clinical associate professor and chair of the department of women’s, children’s and family nursing.
Dating back to 1929, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is the oldest women's health-care organization in the United States. The organization encourages research, accredits midwifery education tracks and programs, administers and promotes continuing education programs, establishes clinical practice standards, and creates liaisons with state and federal agencies and members of Congress.