After the rousing success of last year’s Case Day and Panel on Birth Justice and Equity, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Director Jane Houston and Regional Clinical Faculty Tanya Belcheff knew the event would be recreated at the 2019 ACNM Conference.
The panel brought faculty, staff, alumni and students together for an open conversation about justice and equality in birth outcomes. Three students, Sarah Logan, Stacy Hepner and Deanna Hart, presented cases to kickstart the panel.
Keisha Edwards, the panel’s facilitator, created an environment of kindness that allowed students to bring forth discussions on race and justice that were moving and meaningful to everyone in the room.
“I thought the discussion was powerful! Everyone fully showed up and the ‘real talk’ about health equity was beyond awesome. So needed!” Edwards said.
Edwards’ sister Venay Uecke, a Nurse-Midwife with Indian Health Services, was one of the panel’s presenters, as were long-time FNU preceptors Kathryn Carr and Mandesa Smith. FNU faculty member Nena Harris and FNU alumna Stephanie Martinez also presented at the panel.
The importance of a space at the ACNM Conference that encourages engaging discussion on birth justice and cases is not missed by Houston.
“It is essential that any student present has an opportunity to dialog with providers of color about issues including equity, birth justice and systemic racism within our health systems in a safe and inclusive space,” she said.
FNU is proud of our presenters, facilitators and students for engaging in difficult conversations about relevant issues in order to effect positive change in the healthcare system.
