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NARM NRP Policy Update May 2021

NRP Policy Updates

As of June 1, 2021, all initial Certification and Recertification applications will need to meet NARM’s pre-COVID NRP and CPR requirement of in-person skill evaluation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) will be releasing the 8th edition NRP program in June. Due to these changes NARM has updated the policy for NRP and CPR to go along with these new requirements. For those submitting a CPM application or recertification form after June 1, 2021, please read the updated policy update below.

While some instructors will continue to teach the 7th edition until January 1, 2022, others will switch to the 8th edition instruction as early as June 2021. Applicants will need to confirm which edition the instructor is using.

After January 1, 2022 only the 8th edition classes will be available, but NARM will continue to accept the 7th edition NRP card as long as it is still valid.

Highlights of 8th Edition AAP NRP:

There are two new levels of NRP provider learning:

Read complete details of 8th edition NRP program here.

NEW NARM NRP Requirement:

To fulfill the NARM NRP requirement, CPMs/students may either complete NRP Advanced (Lessons 1-11) or NRP Essentials (Lessons 1-4)

If you choose the NRP Essentials (Lessons 1-4):

Guidelines for requirements are available here.

NARM’s New Online Application Program

Have you registered with Certemy? Certemy is the new online program to process Certification, Recertification, and Preceptor applications. In December 2020, NARM sent an email with information on how to log in to the Certemy system. If you haven’t logged in or need assistance, please email dan@narm.org.

eBlast emailed May 12, 2021

NARM Policy Updates, March 2021

Virtual Clinical Experiences – Extended

NARM will allow two virtual clinicals to apply to the Continuity of Care clinical requirements for CPM candidates and NARM Preceptor registrants for each Continuity of Care Client: one prenatal in the final trimester and one postpartum done anytime between 24 hours and six weeks post birth.

NARM has extended this allowance to be in place for clinicals which take place between March 1, 2020 and June 1, 2021.

Guidelines for documentation are available here.

CPR and NRP Policy – Extended

As of June 1, 2021, all initial Certification and Recertification applications will need to meet NARM’s pre-COVID NRP and CPR requirements. Many classes have pivoted to a hybrid of online/virtual section plus in-person skills testing to meet COVID-19 guidelines.

These hybrid courses will meet the NARM requirements in addition to traditional fully in-person courses available in many locations.

Guidelines for requirements are available here.

Cultural Awareness Policy – Updated

NARM has updated its Cultural Awareness policy. Currently, NARM requires all initial Certifications to include a course on Cultural Awareness.

As of January 1, 2022, all Recertification and Preceptor applications will also need to include a workshop, module, or course on Cultural Awareness every three years as part of the application for Recertification.

A newly expanded list of Cultural Awareness courses is available here.

NARM’s New Online Application Program

Have you registered with Certemy? Certemy is the new online program to process Certification, Recertification, and Preceptor applications. In December 2020, NARM sent an email with information on how to log in to the Certemy system. If you haven’t logged in or need assistance, please email dan@narm.org.

eBlast emailed March 5, 2021

COVID-19 Updates October, 2020

Update on Virtual Clinical Experiences

As announced earlier this year, NARM will allow two virtual clinicals to apply to the Continuity of Care clinical requirements for CPM candidates and NARM Preceptor registrants for each Continuity of Care Client: one prenatal in the final trimester and one postpartum done anytime between 24 hours and six weeks post birth.

Guidelines for documentation are available on this website.

NARM has extended this allowance to be in place for clinicals between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
Extensions or modifications will be at the discretion of the NARM Board of Directors.

NARM CPR and NRP Policy

As of January 1, 2021*, all initial Certification and Recertification applications will need to meet NARM’s pre-COVID NRP and CPR requirements. Many classes have pivoted to a hybrid of online/virtual section plus in-person skills testing to meet COVID-19 guidelines.

These hybrid courses will meet the NARM requirements in addition to traditional fully in-person courses available in some locations.

*Update: Covid-19 exceptions for both Virtual Clinical Experiences and CPR/NRP have been extended to June 1, 2021.

eBlast emailed October 26, 2020
updated November 20, 2020

NARM Policy on Virtual Clinical Experiences

NARM acknowledges that many midwives are providing prenatal and postpartum assessments virtually in order to minimize in-person contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been asked whether or not these virtual visits may count toward meeting the NARM clinical requirements.

While accepting that experienced CPMs may be providing safer care by minimizing contact, NARM maintains that in-person experience is essential for the training of new midwives. NARM considers virtual clinicals to be a new and valuable element of clinical training, but considers these experiences to be in addition to the hands-on clinicals required for certification.

However, NARM recognizes that some students in the final weeks of training may have their Continuity of Care clinicals impacted by the preceptor’s decision to do virtual visits. In an effort to not penalize these students during unprecedented times, NARM has made a decision to allow some virtual clinicals.

NARM will allow two virtual clinicals to apply to the Continuity of Care clinicals for each Continuity of Care Client: one prenatal in the final trimester and one postpartum done anytime between 24 hours and six weeks post birth.

If any prenatal or postpartum visits are done virtually for Continuity of Care, they should be documented on Form 200 under “total number of prenatals” and “total number of postpartums” with the total number, comma, and number virtual. For Example:

This allowance will be in place for clinicals between March 1 and July 31, 2020.
Extensions or modifications will be at the discretion of the NARM Board of Directors.

For more information —

For questions, email Applications@narm.org.

eBlast emailed April 17, 2020

Registration Requirement for Preceptors of PEP Candidates

Just a reminder for preceptors and PEP students, effective January 1, 2017, NARM preceptors were required to be registered before supervising any clinical experiences documented on a PEP student’s NARM Application. Skills/clinical experiences signed off after that date by a preceptor who is not registered with NARM will be invalid.

Please note that midwifery schools may have their own preceptor requirements. If you are a student enrolled in a midwifery school and not applying as a PEP candidate, please contact your school’s administrator for questions regarding their preceptor policies and requirements.

To Register as a NARM Registered Preceptor

Interested midwives should download the Preceptor Handbook and application located here. Students might also find this handbook helpful.

GOLD Preceptor Webinar

Learn about the history of the CPM credential and requirements to become a NARM Registered Preceptor. Understand setting clear expectations, ethical considerations, charting recommendations and responsibilities in the student-preceptor relationship. Get an overview of current NARM student requirements to help understand the documentation your student needs. Plus, NARM speakers will provide answers to real-life frequently asked questions!

Watch this webinar and earn 1 Continuing Education Unit approved by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) to use towards your CPM recertification requirement.

Click here for more information about the webinar. Registration is free!

eBlast emailed November 6, 2018

NRP Policy Change

As of January 1, 2019, NARM will only accept official American Academy of Pediatrics or Canadian Paediatric Society NRP courses for certification and re-certification purposes.

What if I am enrolled in a neonatal resuscitation alternative course between now and December 31, 2018?

If it was previously approved by NARM, you will be able to use that for certification or recertification purposes until January 1, 2021.

What if my neonatal resuscitation certification expires in January 2019?

You will need to complete an AAP or CPS NRP course if your recertification date is after that date in order to obtain CPM certification or recertification.

Why has NARM changed its policy?

Although the overwhelming majority of midwives enroll in AAP NRP courses, we have implemented this policy to ensure that CPMs have NRP instruction that is consistent and reflects the current national NRP guidelines.

This policy reinforces the validity and rigor of the CPM credential but most importantly ensures that, as midwives, we are best prepared to take care of our smallest clients when they need us most.

eBlast emailed July 31, 2018

NARM Position Statement Regarding Confidentiality

On April 29, 2018, the NARM Board wrote and approved the following position statement regarding confidentiality—

In the context of midwifery practice, confidentiality is critical to protect consumers.

During midwifery care, consultation, and peer review, respectful and confidential discussion may occur regarding both the midwifery consumer/client and the decisions and actions of the midwife and care team.

Personal and professional ethics regarding confidentiality require that someone who has learned personal details about another person refrain from sharing or discussing those details with anyone else without permission. When the person affected is not present, be respectful of them and their privacy.

When personal details and private information are discussed, each person who is in contact with the information becomes responsible for upholding the confidentiality of that person’s information. Contact with private information may be unintended or accidental, but the professional and ethical responsibility for maintaining confidentiality always applies.

When personal details or professional actions become the subject of discussion, avoid gossip and speculation. If a person or their actions has caused concern, midwives are advised to limit discussion to areas appropriate for professional peer review.

Midwives are encouraged to include discussion of their confidentiality practices as part of their informed consent process with clients.

Midwives are advised to implement confidentiality considerations whenever client information is discussed.

Complaints regarding breach of privacy or confidentiality in peer review will be addressed through the NARM Grievance Mechanism. Review of incidents where there has been a perceived breach of privacy or confidentiality will utilize resources such as the midwife’s Informed Disclosure form, confidentiality agreements, informed consent documents, practice guidelines, and HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules.

Preceptor Registration

In validating the apprenticeship model as a valuable form of education and training for midwifery, NARM appreciates the many variations in the preceptor/student relationship. NARM has developed materials to help guide preceptors and students through the process of validating knowledge and skills as part of the certification process.

A preceptor for a NARM PEP applicant must be a midwife who meets requirements for supervising CPM candidates and has current, approved registration through NARM. The NARM Registered Preceptor must be credentialed as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Midwife (CM); or they must be a licensed practitioner legally recognized by a state/jurisdiction to provide maternity care. A preceptor must have an additional three years of experience after credentialing or fifty primary births beyond entry-level CPM requirements. Additionally, they must also have ten continuity of care births beyond entry-level CPM requirements. A preceptor must have attended a minimum of ten out-of-hospital births in the last three years.

Effective January 1, 2017, NARM Preceptors must be registered before supervising any clinicals documented on a student’s NARM Application. Skills/clinicals signed off after that date by a preceptor who is not registered with NARM will be invalid. Prior to January 1, 2017 preceptors must be approved as a registered preceptor before a student’s application is processed but registration will cover clinicals signed off earlier as long as the registered preceptor met the requirements at the time.

The Portfolio Evaluation Process (PEP) is a valuable educational option for CPM candidates, allowing for hands-on apprenticeship training for student midwives. In order to maintain the integrity of the PEP process, it is necessary to register all midwives who choose to become preceptors of PEP candidates.

Ten Births in U.S. or Canada

Beginning in 2016, students in MEAC accredited programs who seek CPM certification will have to attend at least ten births in the U.S. or Canada. Due to difficulties in the supervision and oversight of clinical sites, applicants through the PEP program were required to obtain all required clinicals in the U.S. or Canada beginning in June of 2014, but students in MEAC accredited programs were allowed to receive their clinical training OOC if the school provided oversight.

They will still be allowed to train in those sites but will need to have at least ten births in U.S. or Canadian birth sites.

This requirement also applies to Internationally Educated Midwives applying for the CPM credential.

NARM Announces Computer Testing!

No more deadlines!

NEWS about NARM’s new testing policies! NARM has contracted with a computer testing company to administer the NARM exam via computer beginning in June, 2014. Candidates may take the exam, upon attaining eligibility, on the date of their choosing at one of the approved computer testing centers. The NARM application process remains the same but once an applicant qualifies through Phase 3, the exam is individually scheduled with a computer testing center. Numerous approved testing centers are located throughout the country.

The previous application deadlines were based on the old testing dates. Now that testing is on demand, there is no longer a need for application deadlines. When an application is complete through Phase 3, the applicant will receive information on scheduling the exam. A list of testing sites can be found here.

For more information, contact the NARM Applications Department at applications@narm.org.

Contact

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Frequent pages

Key pdf file