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Inactive Policy Update & 2022 Exam Statistics for Midwives and Nurses

Midwifery Certification Exam Statistics

Every year candidates prepare for certification exams after years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. In every industry, some candidates will not pass despite their best efforts, quality of training and lengthy educational preparation. Fortunately, most candidates will pass and go on to pursue their desired career.

Recently, we looked at the NARM Examination statistics for 2022 and, as a matter of curiosity, looked at how we compare to NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) for nurses and AMCB (The American Midwifery Certification Board) for CMs and CNMs. These statistics represent 2022 exam data.

2022 Midwife and Nurse Exam Data

The total exam attempts by each organization are as follows:

NARM 2022:  288 Total Exam Attempts

NCLEX 2022:  321,556 Total Exam Attempts

AMCB 2022:  992 Total Exam Attempts

Note: exam attempts represents the number of discrete exams administered, and it may not correlate to the number of individuals who tested in 2022 (i.e. if a candidate took an exam multiple times in the same calendar year, they will be represented each time they tested in this data set).

Inactive Status Policy Update

NARM recognizes that CPMs may need to take a leave of absence from midwifery for a variety of reasons. We have a mechanism to support those CPMs through the Inactive status process. Recently, we clarified the policy listed on the website so CPMs can understand the benefits, limitations, and fees involved. Read the full policy here.

Some Reminders . . .

NRP Advanced Requirement

With the NRP 8th edition update in 2021, the AAP has created two course pathways for providers (see details highlighted below). NARM acknowledges that some of the advanced skills such as IO administration of newborn medications and Umbilical Vein Catheterization are not essential for CPMs who attend community based births, however we recognize that completion of the NRP Advanced course is important to have a basic understanding of the full AAP NRP algorithm.

  • NRP Advanced is required effective March 1, 2023 for certification or recertification.

NARM will continue to accept unexpired NRP Essentials (plus BLS for Health Care Providers) as meeting the NRP Requirement for certification and recertification applications after March 1, 2023. However, NARM encourages taking NRP Advanced, if available prior to March 1, 2023.

eBlast emailed June 5, 2023

NARM Testing Update, June 2021

NARM Announces New Testing Company!

The NARM Examination has been administered via Computer Based Testing since June 2014. NARM contracted with PROV to access their testing site centers as well as administer the exam via Live Remote Proctoring. Although our partnership has been mutually beneficial for many years, the time has come to begin a new chapter in Computer Based Testing.

Starting September 1, 2021, the NARM examination will be administered by a new testing company. The new company offers many of the same services as PROV such as local test centers and live remote proctoring, but there will also be some necessary and positive changes.

NARM is working to make this transition as seamless as possible to ensure there are no interruptions in testing or credentialling. PROV will continue to administer the NARM examination until September 1, 2021.

What’s New?

REMINDER: All COVID Extensions Expired June 1, 2021!

eBlast emailed June 7, 2021

Live Remote Proctoring for the NARM Exam is Available!

As you know, most of the usual NARM test sites are closed, and many applicants are also in states with shelter-in-place orders. This situation has delayed the testing part of the CPM certification process for the past three weeks and for what could be several months to come.

NARM submitted an application to the National Commission for Certifying Agencies to permit Live Remote Proctoring of the NARM Exam, and it was approved!

The CPM credential is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). In the past, NCCA has prohibited remote proctoring for accredited exams, but with the current situation they have realized the need to make an exception. They are now allowing certifying organizations to obtain temporary permission to test applicants via their home computers. NARM and PROV have received permission to deliver the NARM Exam to applicants on their home computers with a web camera in place that will allow proctoring under the visual oversight of a remote proctor. PROV has contracted with Examroom, a live proctoring company, to offer the NARM Exam.

Applicants who are eligible for the NARM Exam now have the option to take the exam on a home computer while the option is available or to wait until the regular test sites are open again.

If your testing deadline occurs during this undetermined time period, there will be no penalty for the delay in testing. When testing sites are open again, new deadlines will be set to complete the process.

Basic requirements for home testing are:

For more information —

Applicants currently eligible to test may contact Applications@narm.org to register for this option.

For more questions, email testing@narm.org.

eBlast emailed April 14, 2020

Response to NARM Examination Site Closures

During the past two weeks, the sites that administer the NARM exam have been gradually closing due to the COVID-19 virus. Between the closure of Colleges and Universities where most of our testing sites are located and the shelter-in-place orders in more and more states, there are very few test sites still accepting candidates. It is likely to be two months or more before the test sites are up and running.

However, the good news is that NARM is working diligently to make alternative arrangements for testing. The option of testing at home using a computer with a video monitor has been used in other programs for several years, but rarely for high-stakes testing. It has not been allowed at all for accredited certification programs. Now with tests sites closed across the country (not just NARM’s, but all professional testing sites), the Institute for Credentialing Excellence is working with certification programs to allow “remote proctoring” in some situations.

NARM is applying for this waiver to the accreditation standards. When/if the waiver is granted, we will be able to offer the exam to candidates who are eligible for testing during the waiver period. The waiver is expected to be temporary, just for the period when test sites are not available. As soon as we know the waiver has been granted, all eligible candidates will be notified and can make arrangements with Prov to take their exam.

More information about this situation will be conveyed via eBlast as soon as possible.

eBlast emailed April 3, 2020

Thank you to the CPMs who participated in the Oakland, CA workshop!

Thank you to Kiki Jordan LM CPM, Pearl Yu LM CPM, and Anjali Sardeshmukh LM CPM for hosting the NARM Examination Development workshop on June 22-23, 2019 in Oakland, CA! There were ten participants—eight local midwives and two from out-of-state—plus three NARM Board members.

During this two-day workshop, participants learned the multi-step process for the NARM Examination development, history of licensure of CPMs from a national perspective, and about challenges and victories other CPMs experience across the country. This wonderful group of midwives wrote twenty-four new test questions and reviewed and edited thirty-six test questions from previous workshops!

Writing and Editing exam questions is a collaborative process.

Although the days were long and everyone worked hard, there was lots of laughter over coffee and meals. We graciously thank our hosts for opening up their birth center, arranging meals for everyone, encouraging busy midwives to spend their weekend with us, and most of all creating a space to not just develop exam questions but midwifery community as well.

If you are interested in participating in a NARM Examination Development workshop, please watch your email in-boxes for notifications in 2020.

eBlast emailed July 9, 2019

Thank you to all the CPMs who participated in the March NARM Question Writing Workshop!

Thank you to the fourteen CPMs who gathered in Blue Springs, Missouri, on March 4-5, 2019 to write questions for the NARM Examination.

Coming from both Missouri and Kansas just hours after a snowstorm, these women braved single digit temperatures to gather in Rachel Williston’s warm home to work together!


Each question created requires references from two separate sources on the NARM reading list to verify the accuracy of the question. Sometimes this can get messy with text books spread out over tables, floors, and beds!

Using the NARM reference texts to guide them, this group created over thirty new questions for the next update to the exam. From brand-new CPMs to midwives with many years’ experience, they added the perspective of new learning and old wisdom to craft and edit questions and answers reflecting the practice of midwifery.

Big Thanks to Rachel Williston for hosting, Cheryl Gates for coordinating the workshop, and to NARM’s Ida Darragh and Kim Pekin for guiding them through the process!


Kim Pekin input all the questions to be included in the next phase of Exam development: Editing and Review by other CPMs.

CPMs: Are you Interested in Participating in a NARM Examination Question Writing workshop?

Come join us at the next workshop on June 22-23, 2019, in Oakland, CA that will bring together CPMs to write test questions for future exams. Your participation is essential to updating the NARM Examination by creating new questions that reflect the diverse community of CPMs who practice in the U.S. Come join us, write some questions, and get fourteen CEUs!

There is no cost to attend this workshop or receive CEUs. If you are interested in participating in this workshop, please email Testing@narm.org for more information.

eBlast emailed March 27, 2019

Just a reminder of the changes that will take effect in 2019

Effective January 1, 2019:

Effective December 31, 2019:

No Changes to Entry-Level PEP!

The Entry-Level Portfolio Evaluation Process (PEP) is not going away! Read more here.

Big Thank You to:

Wishing you all a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!

eBlast emailed December 11, 2018

Thank you . . .

. . . to all the CPMs who participated in the Cut Score Workshop to Set the Passing Score at MANA 2018!

Twelve participants scored over 350 questions in Portland, ME during this all day workshop to set the passing standard (cut score) for the NARM Examination. The Cut Score workshop is one part of the NARM test development process which also includes Item/Question Writing workshops and Item/Question Review workshops.


Gerald A. Rosen, Psychometrician, giving instructions

What Happened at the Workshop?

During the Cut Score workshop current CPMs rate questions on how likely a competent, but entry-level, midwife would answer it correctly. These scores were averaged to determine the passing score for the next version of the NARM Examination which includes these items/questions.

This is a standard process used to set passing scores on many certification exams, including the NARM Examination. Click here for more information.

eBlast emailed November 20, 2018

Thank you to all the CPMs who participated in the September Item Writing Workshops!

Davis, California

Davis California Item Writing Group ~ missing a Bay Area midwife who was called away by the babies!

We had an Item Writing Workshop September 7-8 to develop new questions for the NARM Examination. The workshop was hosted by Rachel Fox-Tierney, CPM, LM and Tosi Marceline CPM, LM in Davis, CA. This was the largest Item Writing workshop ever hosted with 17 CPMs from California as far south as San Diego to north of Sacramento as well as one from Nevada and one from Mexico! The participants included CPMs who were foreign trained, PEP trained and MEAC graduates; newly licensed and practicing for decades; and who practice in home, birth center and in community clinics in both rural and urban settings.

Lancaster, Wisconsin

Item Writing workshop in Lancaster, WI.

Gena Reitano, CPM, LM and Sherry DeVries, CPM, CNM, LM hosted another Item Writing workshop September 16-17. The six participants did an incredible amount of work over the two day period in a picturesque country setting. These six CPMs represented experience levels from 2 years to 18 years and practice settings in both home and birth center and in both urban and rural areas.

The CPMs who participated in these workshops created potential exam questions, but also had the opportunity to review questions written during previous workshops. Everyone left with a new appreciation and understanding of the complexity of the process and the tremendous amount of work needed to create the NARM Exam. We strongly encourage all CPMs to participate in the NARM Exam development process whether Item Writing, Question Review or Cut Score workshop so that the exam reflects the voices of all CPMs and the unique experiences and perspective they bring to midwifery.

NARM thanks these midwives for their dedication and hard work in contributing to the test development process.

Upcoming workshops:

We are planning additional Item Writing Workshops in 2019 and will post details as soon as they are confirmed. All workshop attendees must be CPMs. NARM provides CEU credit hours at no cost to the participant.

If interested in hosting future workshops, please email Testing@narm.org for more information.

eBlast emailed October 24, 2018

Revised Test Specifications

The Test Specifications for the NARM Examination taken after January 1, 2019 are now available online. The changes are primarily organizational to reduce redundancy, so skills are listed in only one section rather than several. In addition, Domain 1 now includes Professional Issues.

This latest revision of the NARM Examination Test Specifications was developed using the results of the NARM Job Analysis completed by CPMs in 2016. NARM performs a Job Analysis regularly so the CPM credential accurately reflects the knowledge and skills required for the competent practice of midwifery in out-of-hospital settings. The Skills Verification Form 201a (Comprehensive Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) also reflects the 2016 NARM Job Analysis results.

If you plan to take the NARM Examination after January 1, 2019, NARM strongly urges you to thoroughly review the newest NARM Examination Test Specifications and their associated reference lists to prepare for successful completion of the CPM Certification Examination process.

The NARM Examination Test Specifications are located in the Candidate Information Booklet (CIB).

eBlast emailed October 3 and November 15, 2018

Contact

Frequent pages

Key pdf file

Contact

Frequent pages

Key pdf file