Starting June 2022, Hands-On Suturing provides 10 hours of CE for midwives and nurses*!

What are participants saying?

  • By Asatu Hall

    “This was an excellent extremely thorough and informative class. The practice time with the instructor gave me the confidence that I need to assess a tear and make a plan on how to repair if needed.”

    “This was an excellent extremely thorough and informative class. The practice time with the instructor gave me the confidence that I need to assess a tear and make a plan on how to repair if needed.”

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  • By Charlene Tate

    “I would have never imagined that I could learn so much and improve my skills in such little time. I highly recommend this class.”

    “I would have never imagined that I could learn so much and improve my skills in such little time. I highly recommend this class.”

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  • By Anne Monson

    “This course really gives the tools, literally, I love the Russian Forceps, to become confident and successful in your skills by way of teaching a standard that is often missed in our Apprenticeships. I once “hated” to suture but now I think I can ...”

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    “This course really gives the tools, literally, I love the Russian Forceps, to become confident and successful in your skills by way of teaching a standard that is often missed in our Apprenticeships. I once “hated” to suture but now I think I can say I’m looking forward to doing a repair😊 ”

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  • By Lisa Marie Sanchez Oxenham

    “It may seem counterintuitive to take a course online for suturing but as a midwife who has been practicing 10 years, I wanted to keep myself learning this fine art. Holly is amazing and very thorough! Once you do the Zoom cohort test it does not...”

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    “It may seem counterintuitive to take a course online for suturing but as a midwife who has been practicing 10 years, I wanted to keep myself learning this fine art. Holly is amazing and very thorough! Once you do the Zoom cohort test it does not feel intimidating. I am suggesting my students takes this as well. It can only add to how you may do things. ”

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  • By Janell Moore

    “I cannot recommend this course enough! The communication and organization of the course - including shipment of materials-was flawless. The videos were so clear and easy to follow. The instructor thoroughly explained not only how to suture but the...”

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    “I cannot recommend this course enough! The communication and organization of the course - including shipment of materials-was flawless. The videos were so clear and easy to follow. The instructor thoroughly explained not only how to suture but the rationale behind various techniques. I HIGHLY recommend this course!”

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  • By Kelly Miller

    “Holly has included a lot of GREAT information and tips on techniques in this class. I really like the visual aids in the suturing process. Thanks, Holly, for another great class!”

    “Holly has included a lot of GREAT information and tips on techniques in this class. I really like the visual aids in the suturing process. Thanks, Holly, for another great class!”

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  • By Rebecca Walker

    “This was a great class. Lots of information. ”

    “This was a great class. Lots of information. ”

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  • By Ashley Collie

    “This course was very thorough and comprehensive. I learned quite a bit and look forward to adding it to my suturing process!”

    “This course was very thorough and comprehensive. I learned quite a bit and look forward to adding it to my suturing process!”

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This course is offered entirely by distance...

...but specifically approved by the NARM board to qualify as a "hands-on" Category 1 course for their Midwifery Bridge Certificate!

The format includes:

  • on-demand videos and quizzes
  • printable PDFs to use in your practice
  • a supply kit at your doorstep (included in registration - details below)
  • a live, small-group Zoom practice session and Q&A w/the instructor
  • a live, one-on-one Zoom final exam w/the instructor



Taught by Holly Scholles, MA, CPM, LDM, this course provides both lecture, and ample hands-on skills practice. 

Upon completion of this program, the learner will be able to:

  • Follow OSHA protocol for suturing
  • Assess post-childbirth genital injuries, including OASIS (third and fourth degree)
  • Plan the repair
  • Determine the appropriate local anesthetic, and administer local anesthetic
  • Perform instrument ties
  • Perform the following stitches: interrupted, basting stitch, locked blanket stitch, and locked mattress stitch
  • Proper charting for suturing
  • Provide clients with aftercare options


This course was designed to meet the requirements of the hands-on Category 1 course for the NARM Midwifery Bridge Certificate, and for the new "LD&D Renewal" for Oregon LDMs. 

If you are a midwife in Colorado, please email jesica@HiveCE. We have a low-cost supplemental course you will need to take along with Hands-On Suturing in order to meet the requirements for your state.

*This course is appropriate for CNMs, RNFAs, and other nurses who perform post-childbirth perineal repairs. It is not appropriate for all nurses. Course completion does not authorize the learner to use skills outside their scope. Please refer to your state guidelines for determining scope of care.


HiveCE is an approved provider of continuing education by the California Board of Nursing, and this course meets the California Board of Nursing criteria for 10 hours of continuing education. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17686, for 10 contact hours.

Approved by MEAC for 10 hours of CE beginning June 2022, approval number M2122-78-0601DE.

Previously approved by MEAC for 8 hours of CE through May 2022, approval number M1920-87-0529DE.


Midwives of Color/Student Midwives of Color may receive a partial scholarship for this course. Please email jesica@HiveCE.com to request this scholarship.




You will be sent a supply kit that includes the following:

  • foam block w/"tears"
  • instruments: a needle holder, Russian style forceps, hemostat, and scissors
  • 5 packets of CT-1 3-0 Vicryl (or alternate brand)
  • a chux pad to use as your "sterile field"
  • a clear ruler to measure the tear and your stitches
  • a metal file (to mark your own instruments with, if you have them!)
  • a clamp stand that fits all phones and tablets, for you to use during your final exam w/Holly (so she can see your stitches up close!)


The supply fee is included in the fee for this course, but the kit will need to be returned after the course. 

If you wish to extend your timeline for skills practice, you may choose to purchase a Keeper Kit instead. Additional suture is also available for purchase, as are Russian forceps with the centimeters marked as Holly recommends. All of these options are available in our Supply Store.

Course Evaluation Comments

Shared with permission from our

“I am so appreciative of this course! It has built my confidence in suturing in so many ways! Once I’m a preceptor I will pay for my students to take this course 😊”

Anne M

Participant, March 2022 Cohort

“It was extremely well put together, informative, thorough, easy to use, and incorporated so many different ways to make sure we got it.”

Alyssa J

Participant, September 2021 Cohort

“Best course and most in depth suturing course I have ever taken!! I so appreciated the detail and measurements at assessment time. Really showed myself where I needed to improve and it also gave me confidence that I can do this well!!”

Layla B

Participant, September 2021 Cohort

“I really, really appreciated the videos showing left handed suturing.”

Gail W

Participant, August 2021 Cohort

“Really loved this course, I feel so much more confident.”

Amanda K

Participant, August 2021 Cohort

“I loved this course! So glad that I took it. Absolutely worth it. Thank you! ”

Jessica R

Participant, August 2021 Cohort

“I was pleasantly surprised by how detailed this course was. I learned way more than I expected.”

Charlene T

Participant, August 2021 Cohort

“This is the first time Ive actually used instruments to suture and tie knots with throws. I am SO grateful to have this skill now, thank you SO very much for facilitating this course over zoom. It was nothing short of fantastic!”

Stephanie F

Participant, June 2021 Cohort

“This course was excellent! Holly and Jessica were highly educated, professional, skilled and patient while educating both the novice and experienced midwife. ”

Rebecca W

Participant, May 2021

“The suturing course was excellent. The information and the way the course is designed was thorough and really covered all learning styles. I really appreciated being able to watch the instructional videos multiple times as I was practicing suturing. I appreciate the group learning class because I was able to watch others and learn from them as they were suturing. I really appreciate the time Holly took with us individually and answered all our questions and gave valuable tips and tools as we are learning this skill. I went into this course really nervous about suturing. After completing the course I feel like I have learned so much and it has given me the confidence that I need as I continue learning and practicing this important skill.”

Amy R

Participant, June 2021 Cohort

“The course was great! It did much more than teaching me HOW to suture; it increased my confidence in an area that has intimidated for a long time. Holly was super calming, CLEARLY a boss in suturing and broke it down in a way that was logical.”

Aisha R

Participant, May 2021 Cohort

“Thank you Jesica and Holly I appreciated this class and learned a lot! Your time and attention is invaluable! I would like to see more classes for different circumstances like: other types of tears or using numbing medications. Also, I want to say thank you for offering a BIPOC discount!! The discount makes this class more accessible.”

Selena G

Participant, April 2021

  • Instructor

    Instructor Bio:

    Holly Scholles, MA, CPM, LDM, is the founder and president of Birthingway College of Midwifery, and a homebirth midwife with 40 years of experience. She is also an anthropologist specializing in human reproduction and medical anthropology.

    Holly Scholles

    MA, CPM, LDM

Find your answer here.

Questions about Hands-On Suturing?

FAQ

YOU'VE GOT OPTIONS...

Ready to enroll?

Small Group Session

Option #1:

We hold small group sessions most months of the year. These sessions are joined (via Zoom) by midwives from all over the United States, and occasionally by midwives in other countries. Participants range from student midwives to those who have been practicing for decades. Enrollment is first opened to those on our interest list, and these sessions usually fill up quickly through that list. If you are outside the United States, please email jesica@HiveCE.com prior to enrollment, to make an individualized plan regarding your supplies.

If you want to attend a small group session, the best way to do that is to sign up on the interest list! Signing up on the interest list does not enroll you nor obligate you in any way, and does not require any payment information.

INTEREST LIST SIGN-UP

Private Small Group Session

Option #2:

Would you like to attend a private session with colleagues of your choosing? We offer private sessions for groups of 4 to 6 at the same price as our general small group cohorts ($345 per person). This is a great choice for any group of midwives that wants to learn together, or "get on the same page" about suturing protocols. We recommend that you contact us at least 4 weeks in advance of your desired dates for the live portion, but we will do our best to accommodate requests that are 2-4 weeks out. We cannot accommodate requests that are less than 2 weeks out. Please email jesica@HiveCE.com to arrange this option.

Private Session for 1 or 2 Participants

Option #3:

We can arrange a private session (just you!) for $499. Or, if you can find one other midwife/student midwife to do it with you, for $399 per person. (It is $345 through a small group cohort, so doing it with one other person is not much more.) This is a great option for those who desire even more individualized attention during the live Zoom, or need to take this course sooner than the next small group session. We recommend that you contact us at least 4 weeks in advance of your desired date for the live portion, but we will do our best to accommodate requests that are 2-4 weeks out. We cannot accommodate requests that are less than 2 weeks out. Please email jesica@HiveCE.com to arrange this option.

NARM Midwifery Bridge Certificate?

Are you taking this course for the

  • + Online Bridge Bundle (below)

    We have designed a Midwifery Bridge Certificate bundle that will supplement the hands-on courses to get you to ALL the right numbers for Bridge course hours - both in each category, and the overall total!

  • + NRP

    You'll also need to take one MBC Category 2 (newborn) hands on course. Most people achieve this - or already have achieved this - by taking NRP. Whatever course you choose to meet this requirement, it will need to be at least 3 hours to reach the total hours required by NARM for the Midwifery Bridge Certificate.

  • = ALL Midwifery Bridge Certificate Course Requirements

    Those three components will meet or exceed the course requirements for the NARM Midwifery Bridge Certificate.

Enrollment through this bundle makes meeting the NARM Midwifery Bridge Certificate course requirements simple, straightforward, and economical.

Individually, these courses would cost $779.