Frontier Nursing University (FNU) graduate Angela (Angie) Chisholm, CNM is improving maternity care with an uniquely informative new podcast, entitled “Midwifing America.”
The podcast is on a mission to reimagine women’s healthcare in the United States. In the wake of a mounting maternal health crisis, each Midwifing America episode highlights stories from health care providers and the women they serve to illustrate the state of maternity care.
Angie, one of the four podcast hosts, graduated from FNU’s CNEP (Class 49) in 2009. She served as a nurse-midwife in collaborative hospital practice for seven years in Corvallis, Ore., providing team-based care and supervising family practice residents.
She has also served as a midwife at the Corvallis Birth & Women’s Health Center, where she works to incorporate collaborative maternity care models between the birth center and local hospital.
Though her focus is often skin-to-skin care, Angie is passionate about improving all maternity healthcare.
“I believe that birth centers have the potential to address health disparities and maternity care shortage crisis,” she said. “As more and more hospitals stop offering maternity care, it seems reasonable that those communities deserve local and safe options for prenatal care and deliveries. One of my goals is to show other communities and hospitals that embracing birth centers and out-of-hospital care – instead of viewing them as competition – leads to the best outcomes.”
Angie and her team of three other Oregon-based midwives started Midwifing America to begin having these important conversations with nurses, midwives, physicians and mothers.
“Much of what I have learned is that social media and audience engagement has the potential to change how we deliver care,” she said.
To that end, Angie has produced The Heart of Touch Film and web series to highlight the importance of skin-to-skin care for newborns.
Angie’s experience at FNU helped prepare her not only to provide quality care and listen to women, but also to see herself as an advocate for issues that need to be addressed.
“This big picture vision is something I really took to heart,” she said.
Her access to mentorship by FNU faculty and staff who want to grow the midwifery profession made all the difference for her as she continues to lead the way for better maternal care.
In addition to her multimedia efforts, Angie also serves on the ACNM National Membership & Marketing Committee and is Chair of Oregon Affiliate Public Relations.
Angie, your dedication to improving maternal health is inspiring to all of us in the FNU community. Thank you!
