Nurse-Midwifery Program Classes and Requirements

Nurse-Midwifery degree program curriculum
You need 116 credits to earn your Nurse-Midwifery D.N.P. degree. This includes 31 credits from clinical practicum courses (1,000 clinical hours) and 7 credits from D.N.P. project courses.
- Length: 3 years.
- GPA: Complete your courses with a B- or better to graduate.
Sample nurse-midwifery classes and program of study
Get a glimpse of the nursing classes you’ll take each year in the program.
Nurse-Midwifery student learning outcomes
D.N.P. student learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
- Apply ethical principles along with the standards of professional conduct to clinical care, research, and education.
- Evaluate emerging health care systems and policy that influence delivery of cost-effective patient care.
- Generate entry level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
- Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual and/or population health outcomes.
- Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principle of life-long learning.
Nurse-Midwifery student learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate the independent management of primary health screening and health promotion of women from the perimenarcheal through postmenopausal periods.
- Demonstrate the independent management of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
- Demonstrate the independent management of the care of the well newborn during the first 28 days of life.
- Evaluate, utilize, interpret and collaborate in research.
- Demonstrate professional accountability through collaborative communication and ethical principles in the provision of midwifery care to women and their families.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of health care principles and a familiarity with the American College of Nurse-Midwives standards for the practice of midwifery and code of ethics
- Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
- Apply ethical principles along with the standards of professional conduct to clinical care, research, and education.
- Evaluate emerging health care systems and policy that influence delivery of cost-effective patient care.
- Generate entry-level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
- Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual and/or population health outcomes.
- Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principles of lifelong learning.
Degree requirements
You need 116 credits to complete the Nurse-Midwifery D.N.P. degree program at OHSU.
- Core nursing and nurse-midwifery classes: 75 credits
- Clinical practicum: 31 credits (1,000 clinical hours)
- D.N.P. project: 7 credits
- Electives: 3 credits
Application requirements
What you need before you apply
Before applying, students must have:
- An RN license. If you don’t have one, you can get conditional admission, but you need a license before your first clinical course.
- A GPA of 3.0 across all undergraduate and graduate courses, including all science courses
The GRE exam is not required.
What you need before you start your program
Before starting your program, you must have:
- A B.S. or B.S.N. in nursing
- Completed a college-level statistics course with a B- or better within 5 years of starting the program
You can submit a time limit waiver form if you completed a statistics course beyond the 5-year time limit.
How to apply
Applications will reopen in mid-August.
- Go to Nursing CAS and apply.
- Enter your college courses in Nursing CAS.
- Submit 3 letters of reference, your resume and essays in Nursing CAS.
- Send transcripts to Nursing CAS. Contact Nursing CAS to ensure your transcripts arrive.
Get application details for international students, veterans and current OHSU employees.
View interview dates.
OHSU Nurse-Midwifery D.N.P. class descriptions
NURS 515A: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology I
3 credits. This course provides in-depth knowledge of physiologic concepts essential for advanced practice nursing. Physiologic processes related to the central and peripheral (including autonomic) nervous systems; cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, endocrine and reproductive systems; hematopoiesis, innate and adaptive immunity, microcirculation, neural control of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle, and acid-base balance are discussed at biochemical, cellular, organ, system, and organism levels. Exemplar pathologies will be utilized throughout the course to demonstrate disruption of normal physiology in disease. Emphasis is on integration of concepts as a basis for understanding interrelationships among complex physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, throughout the lifespan. This course prepares students for more detailed exploration of pathophysiology in future clinical management courses.
NURS 515B: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology II
3 credits. This sequel to NURS 515A continues to emphasize in-depth knowledge of physiologic concepts essential for advanced practice nursing. Physiologic processes related to the central and peripheral (including autonomic) nervous systems; cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, endocrine and reproductive systems; hematopoiesis, innate and adaptive immunity, microcirculation, neural control of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle, and acid base balance are discussed at biochemical, cellular, organ, system, and organism levels. Exemplar pathologies will be utilized throughout the course to demonstrate disruption of normal physiology in disease. Emphasis is on integration of concepts as a basis for understanding interrelationships among complex physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, throughout the lifespan. This course prepares students for more detailed exploration of pathophysiology in future clinical management courses.
NURS 517A: Advanced Health and Physical Assessment
3 credits. This course focuses on development of clinical decision-making skills in the process of health assessment across the lifespan. The course provides advanced theory in the assessment of an individual within the context of the family, psycho-social-cultural considerations, functional ability, presence of health risk factors and developmental stage. The concepts of diagnostic reasoning and differential diagnosis will be introduced. The lab component includes hands-on advanced practice health assessment skills.
NURS 519: Principles of Pharmacology & Prescribing for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
4 credits. This course applies the principles of pharmacology, including pharmacogenomics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, by analysis of common drug classes prescribed by advanced practice nurses across the life span. Factors influencing successful therapy such as effectiveness, safety, acceptability, cost, genetic/environmental influences, alternative regimens, and patient behaviors will be integrated into patient decision-making exercises and discussion.
NURS 720: Roles, Responsibilities and Concepts for APN
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore key components that are essential to advanced practice nursing roles. Ethical and legal responsibilities are emphasized related to patient outcomes and safety. Professionalism, scope of practice, leadership and policy are explored within advanced practice work environments.
NURS 721: Ethics for APN
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore ethical theories and principles and how they influence various dimensions of health care. Professional responsibilities of advanced practice registered nurses in clinical care, research, and healthcare organizations will be explored. Ethical principles are applied to delivery of care, scholarly inquiry and leadership.
NURS 722: Informatics and Technology for Health Care
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore the organization, collection, analysis and dissemination of information in health care. This course will serve as an introduction to clinical informatics with a focus on the electronic health record, telemedicine, and technological approaches to quality and safety. Ethical and legal dimensions of health care technology are examined. Students learn the basics of database design for the collection and analysis of patient outcomes data.
NURS 723: Critical Appraisal of Evidence
3 credits. This course is the first in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the different types of evidence and the critical appraisal process. The philosophical underpinnings and methods of knowledge development are introduced. Descriptive and inferential statistics are reviewed. The key steps in the EBP process and its importance to advanced nursing practice are highlighted.
NURS 724: Application of Evidence to Clinical Practice
3 credits. This course is the second in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to evaluate evidence in the context of practice-based decision making. Students will identify a clinical problem and apply the clinical inquiry process. The focus is on critiquing evidence for practical application. Implementation science, models and change theories used in translating knowledge into action are highlighted.
NURS 725: Improvement Science
3 credits. This course is the third in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI) focusing on improvement science (IS) methodologies. The purpose of this course is to utilize improvement science to eliminate discrepancies between identified standards of care and clinical practice. Students will build core competencies in improvement science, including appraising the IS literature, differentiating IS methodologies, testing and measuring change, displaying findings and participating in continuous improvement activities.
NURS 726: Health Care Economics and Finance
3 credits. This course will provide the foundation for assessing the financial impact of practice policies, procedures, and initiatives when meeting the health needs of the practice populations. The course will emphasize principles of economics and finance, the analysis of practice quality, and cost effectiveness of care. Strategies to design effective and realistic care delivery or practice initiatives are examined.
NURS 727: Leadership & Health Systems
3 credits. This course is designed for the practical and integrated application of leadership and system theories to real-world problems in health care. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to understand and engage in health care leadership at the entry level.
NURS 728: Health Policy and Population Health
3 credits. This course will provide an overview of health care policy at the state and national level and provide a foundation for evaluating its impact on health outcomes. Basic principles of population health will be explored within the context of epidemiology, determinants of health, health equity, and health disparities. Social, political, legal, and economic factors are used to understand the relationship between health policy and population health.
NMID 730: Fundamentals of Teaching Nurse-Midwifery Students
3 credits. This course is designed as an overview of fundamental principles classroom and clinical teaching applied to the education of nurse-midwives. Content will include principles of adult learning, teaching and learning styles, clinical supervision and mentoring, competency-based education and evaluation of learning. Required for all nurse-midwifery students.
NMID 731: Fundamentals of Obstetric and Gynecologic Ultrasound
2 credits. This course is designed for the student or medical professional who has limited or no formal training in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. This course examines normal and sonographic anatomy as well as common abnormalities.
NMID 732: Advanced Issues in Lactation
3 credits. This course will build on the foundation for the evaluation and management of lactation from previous graduate level courses. Students will increase their knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide comprehensive care to breastfeeding families experiencing common complications of lactation after hospital discharge. By the end of this course, students will display confidence in evaluation, diagnosis, and utilization of the intersectionality of social, emotional, and biological factors to formulate family-centered care plans.
NMID 733: Reproductive & Perinatal Psychiatric Illness: Advanced Evaluation & Management
3 credits. This course, which builds upon foundational core content for advanced practice nursing and midwifery students, is an in-depth exploration of the bio-psycho-social-cultural contributors to wellbeing and psychiatric illness in reproductive-age women. Screening, assessment and diagnostic approaches for common and complex mental health symptoms are applied to differentiate illness from normative/healthy/adaptive responses to events and experiences ranging from menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation, to infertility, perinatal loss, motherhood and perimenopause. The treatment planning process is deconstructed and applied to various psychiatric presentations. The range of effective behavioral, integrative, and medical interventions are appraised through case-based learning, and the essential components of interdisciplinary collaboration, consultation, and referral are incorporated.
NMID 740: Perinatal Physiology
3 credits. The purpose of this course is to facilitate an understanding of the physiological mechanisms relevant to the maternal experience, fetal life, and the neonatal period. This course will focus primarily on the physiology of normal maternal/ fetal/newborn issues and cover some common complications and pathology.
NMID 741: Foundations of Midwifery Care During the Reproductive Cycle
2 credits. This course focuses on the analysis of research, theory, models, and standards that provide the foundation of midwifery care. Psychosocial and cultural aspects of health care are emphasized. Attention is given to the psychosocial development of the childbearing family, the historical development of health care and health care policy for individuals, midwifery history, and the midwifery and ethical models of care.
NMID 742: Primary Care for Nurse-Midwives
4 credits. This course is designed for graduate students in the nurse-midwifery specialty and focuses upon nonreproductive primary care management. Diagnostic reasoning is used to differentiate common problems. An evidence-based approach to primary care drawing upon theories, research, clinical knowledge and national standards will be used to develop therapeutic plans for common non-reproductive health problems of adolescent and adult individuals.
NMID 743: Perinatal Pharmacology
2 credits. The purpose of this course is to synthesize pharmacologic principles and knowledge of drugs commonly encountered and prescribed by nurse-midwives. The management of drugs during pregnancy, labor, postnatal and neonatal period are addressed.
NMID 750: Reproductive Health Care Management
3 credits. This course focuses upon the application of research, theory, and knowledge relevant to the common health needs and psychosocial experiences of individuals in relation to their reproductive physiology. This course provides the basic knowledge and practice essential for the advanced practice nurse in the area of reproductive health.
NMID 751: Antepartum & Postpartum Management I
3 credits. This course focuses on the critical analysis and application of current theory, knowledge, and research relevant to the primary management of childbearing individuals and their families during the antepartum and postpartum periods. Particular attention is given to pregnancy physiology and to acquiring a thorough understanding of normal processes. Identification of populations at greatest risk for adverse outcomes and of specific health care needs and beliefs of culturally diverse populations are addressed. Risk assessment, education, health promotion, and ethical considerations of the childbearing family are also emphasized.
NMID 752: Antepartum & Postpartum Management II
2 credits. This second management course focuses on pregnancy pathophysiology and the critical analysis and application of current theory, knowledge, and research relevant to the primary management of childbearing individuals and their families during the antepartum and postpartum periods. Identification of populations at greatest risk for adverse outcomes and of specific health care needs and beliefs of culturally diverse populations are addressed. Risk assessment, education, health promotion, and ethical considerations of the childbearing family experiencing complications are explored.
NMID 753: Nurse-Midwifery Management in the Intrapartum Period
4 credits. This course is a critical analysis and application of current theory, research, and knowledge relevant to the nurse-midwifery management of the pregnant individual’s care in the intrapartum period. The current nurse-midwifery and obstetric management models and the analysis of factors which influence these models are systematically evaluated.
NMID 754: Advanced Women’s Health Care Management
3 credits. This course focuses upon the application of research, theory and knowledge relevant to complex health needs and psychosocial experiences of individuals in relation to their reproductive physiology.
NMID 755: Management of the Newborn
2 credits. A critical analysis and application of current research, theory, and knowledge relevant to the nurse-midwifery/nurse practitioner management of the normal newborn.
NURS 703A: DNP Project Planning
2 credits. The purpose of this course is to plan an improvement science project for the terminal DNP benchmark. Students will work with course faculty and the specialty chairperson to design a project to meet program expectations. Students will write a project proposal and plan for Institutional review board (IRB) submission. At the end of this course students will submit the project proposal for faculty approval. Students move to the implementation and evaluation of the project in 703B. Alternate projects in program development/evaluation or centered on policy may be developed with specialty program faculty approval.
NURS 703B: DNP Project
5 credits. The purpose of this course is to implement, evaluate and disseminate an approved DNP Project within the advanced nursing practice specialty. The project takes place within the context of the student’s practicum experience. It provides an experience that can be the foundation for future clinical scholarship.
Nurse-Midwifery degree program faculty
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Nursing scholarships
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Contact us
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Hear from students
“I’m grateful for this program. It gave me the chance to learn from leading nurses—professors who have shaped nursing and improved health care through their research.”
— Alta Franco, RN
Technical standards policy
OHSU requires all students to have a set of basic skills, called 'technical standards,' to successfully complete their program. Review OHSU’s technical standards policy.

Accreditation
OHSU is accredited by the NWCUU and OHSU School of Nursing is accredited by the CCNE.
Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
The nurse-midwifery program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education through 2033.