Tag: CPM

Reaching out to the Federal Trade Commission

jmacmidwife

I am now frustrated, annoyed, and getting nowhere fast with the LSBME. They are bullying me around and preventing me from getting a job and health insurance that I need to get rid of the thyroid cancer. I reached out to many lawyers and public interest groups. However, because there are not many licensed midwives in Louisiana, there are not a lot of people affected or so it seems. One of the reasons for that is the antitrust issues the LSBME presents. It intimidates midwives so that of course there will not be many in the state especially ones who they have deemed disruptive. I wrote to the FTC, but have not heard from them yet. 

12/1/2017 I am certified as a certified professional Midwife (CPM) through the North American registry of midwives (narm). I have an associates degree in direct entry midwifery (non nursing). I had a midwifery license that was unrestricted in WI. 

I would appreciate any help with the Louisiana state board of medical examiners (LSBME). It is beyond corrupt. Two years ago my (non-nurse direct entry) Midwife license was suspended based on their opinion that I was a danger to the community even though no one was hurt or injured. They claimed I delivered a baby incorrectly even though the parents testified on my behalf that nothing went wrong and they’d hire me again. The complaint was from a photographer who didn’t have any medical training. Conveniently that same year a competing birth center opened five miles away from my home in my city. The photographer worked closely with that birth center.  When Home birth non-nurse midwives (certified professional midwives or CPMs) were originally licensed the state rules required a board of Midwives to review licensing complaints. As years passed and the state couldn’t afford to fund the midwifery board because of budgetary constraints it was absolved and combined under the medical board (all physicians). Currently no midwives (nurse or non nurse ones) serve to review complaints. During the adjudication the lsbme held me to an obstetrical standard or a CNM ( certified nurse Midwife) one. I’m not a certified nurse Midwife. 

By suspending my license indefinitely the LSBME limited its citizens access to a home birth Midwife because i had a patient who delivered unassisted without any trained medical provider at Home three days after my suspension because I didn’t have time to petition the Board for a completion of her care as it was a weekend. I had no choice but to stop caring for clients in the middle of their pregnancies even though I was not sure how I was a danger to clients as no one in my care had been hurt or injured or died. I had only had a midwifery license in la for a year. And it was my second delivery. Additionally I had a doctor overseeing all of my clients per la law. The doctor stated in EMR five times that my client was suitable for a home birth. I have an associates degree in midwifery that I cannot use now as my license is permanently suspended. I also have another degree in midwifery from a private school in Florida but I cannot gain licensure there because of my suspended one in la.  I had a license in Wisconsin also which was not affected but I chose not to renew it. Since there are only 10 licensed midwives in Louisiana losing one Midwife can limit access to care for women seeking out of hospital births. Clearly midwives are competition for doctors.

The board is imposing egregious and burdensome requirements for my Suspension to be satisfied. For instance a psych evaluation with no basis for this. And although the order doesn’t state the level of psych evaluation the doctor in charge of the board is making me get an in-depth three-day in-patient  evaluation. Again there is no basis for this as no drugs, no alcohol, nor psych disorders were involved in my case. Likewise the Order doesn’t give a “diagnosis” for the psych evaluation as their isn’t one but nevertheless I need to complete one. 

Please help. I moved to Georgia to continue working as a Midwife because it isn’t regulated in ga. And because I cannot get a job because background checks prevent me from qualifying. 

I tried to link the adjudication from the lsbme website but it is unavailable at this time. Thank you. JM

Home Stretch

jmacmidwife

Tonight I am worried about finances. Where will I work after graduation? Will I be near my family? How will I afford to pay for the NARM test? I am also considering getting my midwife her CPM so that I can then have another preceptor sign my skills and I will not have to take the Skills exam. At least if I have to take it, I will have several months to say up some money.  Maybe I will return to doula work. Who knows? I do know that I can’t worry about it tonight.

Today we went to a birth of a fourth baby to a mom who had all previous hospital births. They were all fast. This one was not any different, but it goes to show you that you need to know your clients well and be prepared for them and your sake.  I am usually very good at having everything ready when moms get into tubs. They seem to usually go so fast that none of us can catch our breaths, let alone get gloves on. This mom got into the tub when she was like 6 cms, but a plus 1 almost 2 and I think ten minutes later she said her water broke in a scared way. The baby was just so low and was not waiting. Her kneeling position made it easy for me to grab the Doppler and make a sliding motion across the floor to the tub where she labored. I began to get heart tones when the midwife just shouted I need gloves and see if you can feel head. So, I dropped the Doppler (thankfully not in the water) and reached down bare handed in the water between her legs. Now I very well could have been feeling in the wrong place. I hope not since I am a fourth semester student, but it could happen. No baby head so I pulled my hands out and began drying them off. Meanwhile the midwife had her hands in the water, albeit gloved. She said she needed me to support the perineum as an elbow was coming. So, once again, my hands dove back in and supported this motherbaby. It had only been 3 pushes. The cord was short so we got mama and baby out. We were waiting patiently for the placenta when a fellow student took a pulse. She said it was 100. Again, knowing your client is second to knowing your own history.  The midwife and I instantly both reached for this mom’s wrist and counted the pulse rate ourselves hoping we didn’t have an occult bleed somewhere as this mom had minimal bleeding. Thankfully the student just couldn’t count. Sigh.

It is experiences like these where my midwife trusts me and knows I will do what needs to be done that I am feeling more confident. Heck, even the grandmother came over and was talking with my midwife and me and thanked us for being such good midwives to her daughter. LOL. I am no midwife yet, lady—I wanted to say—wait until SWTC is done with me! I am also so thankful to all the women who have helped me learn, inspired me to do better, and taught me a thing or two!