ABSTRACTThis article presents the purposes and methods of the first Needs Assessment Survey of all nurse‐midwives who have been certified by the ACNM. A detailed summary of the general results of the survey is provided, and includes the perceptions of respondents about the ACNM organizational structure, goals, leadership, and services. Analyses of differences in response based on such variables as membership status, minority status, years since certification, level of educational preparation, work setting, and region of residence are also presented. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for the nurse‐midwifery profession. Part 2 will appear inJNM3