National Midwifery Week is the first week of October, and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is celebrating by hosting its annual virtual event dedicated to nurse-midwifery on October 4-7. FNU’s Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring event will mark the seventh year of a program filled with impactful sessions, motivating speakers and a complimentary continuing education opportunity.
National Midwifery Week was created by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) to celebrate and recognize midwives and midwife-led care. ACNM and its 6,500+ midwife members, physicians and women’s health organizations observe National Midwifery Week each year.
FNU’s virtual event offers five free sessions presented by FNU faculty and alumni on the latest practices and topics influencing nurse-midwifery care and includes a continuing education opportunity:
Creating a Culture of Innovative Quality Improvement
Monday, Oct. 4 at 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Moderated by FNU Associate Professor Dr. Tia Andrighetti and co-presented by FNU faculty members Dr. Tanya Belcheff, Donna Barisich, Dr. Lisa Huckaby, Dr. Maria Mock, Dr. Eileen Thrower and Vicki Burslem.
Births can be unpredictable and midwives need to be prepared for rare events that can have harmful effects on clients. In order to keep these skills honed, nurse-midwives need to practice reacting at the moment to complications. This session will include a birth complications simulation and participants will spend time working with peers to tailor the simulation to their birth settings.
Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 – 8 p.m. EDT
Presented by FNU alumnus Dr. Daisy Goodman.
This interactive session will explore key elements, implementation guidance, and metrics associated with the 2021 revision of the Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health (AIM) Care of Pregnant and Postpartum People with Substance Use Disorders Patient Safety Bundle.
Creating a Culture of Impact: Stories of Community Quality Improvement – Alumni & Faculty Panel
Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Moderated by FNU Assistant Professor and ACNM President Dr. Cathy Collins-Fulea. The panel will include FNU faculty members and alumni: Dr. Melva Craft-Blacksheare, Dr. Minyon Outlaw, Dr. Dee Polito, Dr. Ana Verzone, Dr. Shaughanassee Vines and Dr. Kate Woeber.
Dr. Collins-Fulea will moderate this panel presentation in collaboration with FNU’s IHI Open School Chapter. Participants will hear stories of FNU’s mission in action through visual storytelling as nurse-midwifery alumni and faculty share their community projects and initiatives for serving diverse, rural and underserved populations.
Creating a Culture of Antiracism
Thursday, Oct. 7 at 5 – 6 p.m. EDT
Presented by FNU Assistant Professor Dr. Charlotte Morris.
During this educational session, Dr. Morris will inspire participants to take action and implement change in their practice or work environment to build a culture that is inclusive and caring for all.
Nurse-Midwifery Program Q&A – Creating a Culture of Community
Thursday, Oct. 7 at 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Presented by FNU faculty members Dr. Jeneen Lomax and Dr. Eileen Thrower.
This session is for those considering becoming a nurse-midwife. Participants will learn about FNU’s nurse-midwifery education program and hear from current midwifery students about their experience. Presenters will also discuss the joys and challenges of life as a midwife.
The theme of this year’s virtual event, Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring, acknowledges Frontier Nursing University’s culture of caring which is built on five main elements: professionalism, inclusivity, respect, positive communication and mutual support. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, donors and others in the FNU community embrace this culture to fulfill their full potential, both individually and collectively, exemplifying the caring behaviors they hope to bring to the broader healthcare system.
Frontier Nursing University has more than 80 years of experience in delivering graduate nursing and midwifery programs.
Those interested in participating in Empower 2021: Creating a Culture of Caring, sponsored by Southern Cross Insurance Solutions, are asked to register at Frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek.
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).