10 Midwifery-friendly Ways to Spend Black Friday

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorMake Black Friday 2010 count by doing more than bargain hunting at o’-dark-thirty. Use these tips to spend your time and money updating your professional skills and making a difference for midwives.1. Connect with other midwives and midwifery supporters via Facebook (both the ACNM page and the ACNM Student Midwives group) and on Twitter (@acnmmidwives and

How to Present Evidence-based Midwifery Care Like a Pro

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorThis week we launched an exciting project that has been in development for more than a year. Evidence-Based Practice: Pearls of Midwifery is a professionally developed presentation featuring nearly 100 fully referenced slides to assist midwives and their advocates (expectant moms, active dads, other health care providers, everyone!) in explaining the

Trail-Blazing for Midwives: An Unexpected Encounter

by Michelle Grandy, CNM, MN, President, Washington ACNM State AffiliatePictured in center: Michelle Grandy, CNM, and Congressman Jay InsleeYou never know where opportunities will arise to support midwifery. My most recent unexpected opportunity happened as I was backpacking with my daughter in the great outdoors of Washington State.We heard a few men down the trail talking about taking a group

Supporters Join Forces to Save Terre Haute Midwives

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorA group of midwives at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana, have been notified that their employment contracts will not be renewed this year. It’s a familiar situation—one that we saw play out in Wilmington, North Carolina, about this time last year.The midwives’ last scheduled day at the hospital is October 29, but a dedicated group of supporters is

Access to Midwifery Care Improves Maternity Outcomes

by Tina Johnson, CNM, MS, ACNM Director of Professional Practice & Health PolicyThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will bring millions of newly insured citizens into the health care system. In order to meet the country’s needs, leaders are calling for high value, evidence-based solutions. Let’s start with the health condition that affects 100% of all Americans...childbirth! How can

August is Midwifery Advocacy Month: Ten easy and energizing steps to make a difference!

Kathryn Kravetz Carr, CNM, Chair, ACNM GACGet educated about MOMS 21. Learn how Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services for the 21st Century (MOMS21, HR 5807) will improve maternity outcomes, increase access to care, and curb rising health care costs. Also be sure to visit the new ACNM MOMS 21 Web page.Check if your representative is a cosponsor (search here to find out). We ALREADY have the

For the Love of Midwives: Wilmington Women Launch a Revolution

The following post was written by Where’s My Midwife? in honor of National Midwifery Advocacy Month, which is commemorated each August. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and its Government Affairs Committee encourage all ACNM members and supporters to participate in National Midwifery Advocacy Month. Learn more about advocacy activities here. One year ago, on August 1, 2 certified

At Last, Life after Medicare: MOMS for the 21st Century

by Kathryn Kravetz Carr, CNM, Chair ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeAt last Medicare reimbursement equity for nurse-midwives will begin in January. As I start my first year as chair of ACNM’s Government Affairs Committee, we are riding high on the glory that comes from decades of hard work. Now we are blessed with the opportunity to work on something new, at last, something new!Maximizing

How to Achieve Woman-friendly Policy One Legislator at a Time

by the ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeMinnesota midwives with Senator Al Franken (D-MN)Last month, more than 450 midwives and midwifery students traveled to the US Capitol to educate members of Congress on issues vital to the sustainability and growth of midwifery practice and to discuss our legislative agenda. Here is a peak into how midwives promoted woman-friendly policy one legislator at a

MN Passes Bill to License Birth Centers, Save Midwives from Reduced Payments

by Brielle Stoyke, CNMThe efforts of midwives across the US who lobbied their federallegislators for fair reimbursement of midwifery services has paid off big in Minnesota.This year, a group of midwives worked on birth center licensure legislation – we wanted a basic bill to license birth centers in our state. Two birth centers opened in February, and at least two more are in the works. The

A Win for the Little People

by Heather Bradford, CNM, ARNPChair, ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeTuesday, March 23, was a big day for many Americans when the President signed major health care reform legislation into law. But Tuesday was an even BIGGER day for midwives. Under this new law, after 19 years of hard work, certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) will be equitably reimbursed for their services under Medicare beginning

Top 10 Reasons to Attend Lobby Day

by Heather Bradford, CNM, ARNP, Chair, ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeOnce about every four years, ACNM hosts its Annual Meeting in DC. Why DC? We need your voice. On Tuesday, June 15, we hope hundreds of midwives will storm Capitol Hill to meet with their legislators (two senators and one US representative) and discuss issues vital to the sustainability and growth of midwifery. This is one

Midwifery Advocates Protest Seemingly Illogical Hospital Decision

by Candace Curlee, CNM, MS, ACNM Region VI RepresentativeA curious thing happened last month in Ventura County, CA. St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo decided that midwives can no longer practice at their facility. Midwives have been practicing at St. John’s for the past 30 years. Evidently, the pediatrics and obstetrics committees along with the board of directors made the decision

Will Washington State Lead the Way for Improved Access to Midwifery Care?

by Heather Bradford, CNM, ARNP, Chair, ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeIn Washington State, we are working on legislation related to an access to care issue. The legislation would authorize pharmacists to fill prescriptions written by advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) in other states or in certain provinces of Canada. What does this have to do with midwifery? In Washington,

My Top Ten Legislative Wish List for 2010

by Heather Bradford, CNM, ARNP,Chair, ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeBecause every woman deserves a midwife, here’s what I’ll be advocating for in the coming year:Reimburse Midwives Fairly Under Medicare. I’m eagerly watching the health care reform package, which includes provisions from HR. 1101/S. 662 – the Midwifery Care Access and Reimbursement Equity Act of 2009. That’s right! After more

Help Reopen the Bellevue Hospital Birth Center

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorThose of you who follow ACNM on Facebook know that the Bellevue Hospital Birth Center in New York City officially closed "until further notice" on Sept 1. Bellevue was the only birth center available to Medicaid-eligible women and their families in Manhattan.Since then, there has been a collective effort to reopen the birth center’s doors. In December, a

Persistence Pays for Minnesota Midwife

by Brielle Stoyke, CNM, Minnesota Chapter Legislative Contact Senator Al Franken and Brielle Stoyke, CNMIn December 2007, I was invited to a fundraiser for Al Franken. Franken was running for a Minnesota Senate seat. I went that night thinking maybe there would be an opportunity to talk to him directly about S. 662, the Midwifery Care Access and Reimbursement Equity Act, just in case he was

Nurses Stand with Obama; Are Midwives Next?

by Dawn Durain, CNM, ACNM Vice PresidentI was trying to find some news coverage on the Sonia Sotomayor hearings on Wednesday afternoon, when suddenly there was President Obama on the White House steps surrounded by women! This being an atypical sight, I quickly unmuted. As it turned out, the people accompanying the president were mostly nurses and members of the Congressional Nursing

An Inside Look at the PAC Reception

by Heather Bradford, CNM, ARNPChair, ACNM Government Affairs CommitteeWhile at the Annual Meeting, I had the distinct honor of introducing US Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) as the keynote speaker at the Midwives-PAC Reception on Sunday night at the Seattle Convention Center. He was welcomed by a roaring crowd of over 60 midwives and 100 nurse-midwifery students who, with standing room only,

Donate Your Data to Help Mainstream Midwives

One of the most tiring things about being a midwife is having to justify and explain your profession. It’s not common knowledge that most midwives can provide primary care, write prescriptions, and even handle complications in childbirth. It’s frustrating as a midwife supporter, too. We need to keep up our efforts to get the word out!Part of ACNM’s role is to update midwifery fact sheets that