MICHELLE M. DAVIS, DNP, NNP, CNM
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Assistant Professor of Practice-OBGYN – University of Arizona

My journey as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) began shortly after obtaining my Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) degree from Arizona State University (ASU). My goal was to care for sick premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) even though my entire nursing career was being a Labor and Delivery registered nurse (RN). I never imagined myself becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). My daughter was not only a preemie but she was delivered by cesarean section. I spent 4 weeks in the NICU with her and I felt becoming an NNP was rewarding and gratifying. My thoughts on this subject shifted after talking to my mentors. One mentor stated, “Your brain wants to help babies but your heart is with the moms! You can do both by going back to school and becoming a midwife.”

That was the best advice I could have received. I found my calling as a midwife thanks to Dr. Ross who encouraged me to look into this profession. Once people have a baby in their life, it will never be the same. It is an extremely intimate time for a family and as a CNM, I am grateful and lucky to be closely involved in making a difference in their lives.

Having been a labor & delivery RN and a CNM, I have observed the roles are very different. The role of a CNM is more diverse than what many people realize. I have enjoyed both, but I am really good at catching babies. I love working with women, facilitating a natural part of their lives. I want to give women the “great birth story” that they and their families deserve.

I love overcoming challenges in my life. When working in labor and delivery I often hear “NO this can’t be done”, but more often than not I’m able to change that to a “YES” by mixing my experience and what I have learned to fit with what my patients need. Each mom is different, each pregnancy is different – the way I approach their needs is different every single time. One of my physician mentors said to me, “…..you are not afraid to try what you have learned and it works! Yours skills are something that can’t be taught. You have a way of working with people that draws them to you.”

Advancing my education as a Doctoral prepared Certified Nurse Midwife was a meaningful goal to me and has allowed me to increase my autonomy and scope in bringing high quality care to the community I serve. I am able to help improve health care and bring the art of nursing to medicine. My focus is on providing a holistic approach to women’s health from adolescence through menopause using lifestyle, nutritional, and alternative medicine. I strive to provide a safe, open, and empowering experience for women and their families. My goal is to create an environment where women can give birth in a way they have always dreamed of.

CURRENT PRACTICE
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DELIVERING HOSPITAL
Banner University Medical Center Phoenix

UNIVERSITIES
Arizona State University, Phoenix AZ – 2015
Doctor of Nursing Practice, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX – 2017
Post-Doctor of Nursing Practice, Certified Nurse Midwife

CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Lactation Consultant (CLC)
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Instructor – Certified by American Academy of Pediatrics/American Heart Association
Registered Nurse Certified (RNC) – OB

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Nurse Midwife
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Academy of Neonatal Nursing
Arizona State Nurses Association
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWOHNN)
National Association of Neonatal Nurses
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
The Sigma Theta Tau International