News and Notes

FNU Faculty Published in “BIRTH: Issues in Perinatal Care”

(L-R) Jill Alliman, Diana Jolles, Susan Stapleton, Carla Townsend. A team of FNU faculty was recently published in the December 2020 issue of BIRTH: Issues in Perinatal Care. The article, “Rural Resilience: The Role of Birth Centers in the United States” was authored by FNU faculty Jill Alliman, DNP, CNM; Diana Jolles, Ph.D., CNM; and Carla Townsend, MLS, BS; former FNU faculty member and FNU graduate Susan Stapleton, CNM, DNP, Class 01; along with Kate Bauer, MBA, Lauren Hoehn-Velasco, Ph.D., MA, BS, and Jennifer Wright, MA. The article examines the role of the birth center model of care in rural health and maternity care delivery in the United States. The researchers analyzed data from 2012 to 2020 on 88,754 childbearing families enrolled in care at 82 birth centers across the United States, many of them operated by FNU alumni. The data showed that quality outcomes exceeded national benchmarks across all geographic regions in both rural and urban settings. A stable and predictable rate of transfer to a higher level of care was demonstrated across geographic regions, with over half of the population remaining appropriate for the birth center level of care throughout the perinatal episode of care. Controlling for socio-demographic and medical risk factors, outcomes were as favorable for clients in rural areas compared with urban and suburban communities.

“It is a positive highlight of the strength and resilience of rural people and the role of midwifery-led care for the population,” said Dr. Jolles. The authors concluded that a major focus of maternity care reform should be the expansion of access to birth center models of care, especially in underserved areas such as rural communities. Open access to this important research was made possible with funding from the AABC Foundation.

Jolles, D, Stapleton, S, Wright, J, et al. Rural resilience: The role of birth centers in the United States. Birth. 2020; 00: 1– 8. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ full/10.1111/birt.12516

FNU Faculty Author Textbook Chapter

Diane John

Vicky Stone-Gale FNU Associate Professors Dr. Diane John, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, and Dr. Vicky StoneGale, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP co-authored Chapter 8 in Health Promotion, a textbook written for nurse practitioners and advanced practitioners. Published in December by F.A. Davis, the book is described as “Stepby-step, a who’s who of educators, researchers, and practitioners explore the models and skills you need to help your patients, including those with multiple comorbidities while evaluating medical evidence that changes rapidly, or that may be unclear.”

FNU Faculty Contribute to “Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery & Women’s Health”

Nena Harris

Linda McDaniel

Laura MannsJames

Angela Mitchell

Katharine Heaney FNU faculty members recently contributed to the 6th Edition of “Clinical Practice Guidelines for Midwifery & Women’s Health”, published by Jones & Bartlett. Assistant Professors Nena Harris, CNM, FNP-BC, CNE, Ph.D., and Linda McDaniel, CNM, RNFA, DNP, are assistant editors for the book, and Associate Professor Dr. Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, is an associate editor. FNU Instructor Angela Mitchell, FNP-BC, DNP, was a reviewer for the cardiovascular chapter, and FNU student Katharine Heaney, RN, BSN, CLC, SNM, was a contributor to the Group B streptococcus colonization chapter. The book is described as “an accessible and easyto-use quick reference guide for midwives and women’s healthcare providers. Thoroughly updated and revised to reflect the changing clinical environment, it offers current evidence-based practice, updated approaches, and opportunities for midwifery leadership in every practice setting.”

Fall Faculty Published Articles and Chapters:

Following is a list of articles and chapters recently published by FNU faculty members:

Assistant Professor Kendra Faucett, CNM, DNP:

Faucett, K, & Kennedy, H.P. (2020) Accuracy in reporting Kentucky certified nurse midwives as attendants in birth registration data. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, https://doi. org/10.1111/jmwh.13111 (Publication date, issue pending) (May 11, 2020)

Associate Professor Debra Hunt, Ph.D., FNPBC, GNP-BC, CNE:

Hunt, D. A., Keefe, J., Whitehead, T., & Littlefield, A. (2020). Understanding Cannabis. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. https:// doiorg.frontier.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j. nurpra.2020.07.007

Assistant Professor Rebecca Fay, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, FACNM:

Yount, S.M., Fay, R.A., Kissler, K.J. (2020). Prenatal and postpartum experience, knowledge and engagement with kegels: A longitudinal, prospective, multisite study. Journal of Women’s Health, 00(00), DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2019.8185. [Epub ahead of print].

Assistant Professor JoAnne Keefe DNP, MPH, FNP-C, CNE:

Hunt, D. A., Keefe, J., Whitehead, T., & Littlefield, A. (2020). Understanding Cannabis. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. https:// doiorg.frontier.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j. nurpra.2020.07.007

Associate Professor Laura Manns-James, Ph.D., CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE:

Manns-James, L. Anthony, M.K. & Neal-Barnett, A. (2020) Racial discrimination, racial identity, and obesity in collegiate African American Women. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. (Online publication date 10/7/2020; not yet in print). doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00880-x

Course Coordinator Charlotte Swint, DNP, MPH:

Fay, R., Swint, C., Thrower, E. J. B. (2020, June 26). Development of an intraprofessional scholarship workgroup: Systematic process for creating and disseminating nursing knowledge. Nurse Educator, Publish Ahead of Print _doi: 10.1097/ NNE.0000000000000880

What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. They earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) to receive the professional designation of CNM. Certified Midwives (CMs) are educated in the discipline of midwifery. They earn graduate degrees, meet health and science education requirements, complete a midwifery education program accredited by ACME, and pass the same national certification examination as CNMs to receive the professional designation of CM.