The President's Place
Notes from Kathy Puls, President
August 2020
Well, we are half way through 2020 and what a six months it has been. The Year of the Nurse and the Midwife will be remembered, but perhaps not for what we wished. With the COVID 19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the several Arizona wild fires, Stress is the normal. As midwives, we are forced to recognize the inequities of our healthcare system, whether for pregnant women and their babies, people of color, our indigenous population, or for seniors. Per Governor Ducey, if the healthcare crisis worsens, there won’t be adequate resources to care for all Arizonans, priority will be given to people who have more years to live, first responders and healthcare workers.
Nationally, ACNM has been collaborating with other stakeholders in maternal and child health, and with legislators to improve access to care, decrease the maternal morbidity and mortality statistics and increase the number of midwives being educated. The MOMS Act is making its way through the legislative process. For additional information on national and local legislation, please contact Janice Bovée, Arizona Affiliate Legislation Chair.
Several Affiliate Board members attended the virtual ACNM Annual Meeting and reported mixed experiences. I found it interesting and user friendly to navigate the education sessions, the business meetings and the social events. I am amazed at what the ACNM staff accomplished in such a short time going from an in-person meeting to a virtual meeting. Plus during the Annual Meeting, the ACNM staff and volunteer leaders were very visible. They put in many late hours setting up and checking last minute details for the next day’s activities. I am hoping that future Annual Meetings will included aspects from this years virtual meeting, so additional people can participate who don’t have the time or money to meet in Portland, Oregon May 21st -24th, 2021. A great deal of time and energy was spent on Diversion and Inclusion discussions at this years meeting. And those of you who follow ACNM CONNECT Town Hall are aware that the discussion continues on how to facilitate equality and inclusion in our organization, in our CNM/CM educational system, in our care and in our interaction with colleagues.
Locally, the Arizona Affiliate Board has continued to meet virtually approximately every other month. The Board moved to create a scholarship for an Arizona indigenous CNM/CM student. We recommend calling it the Ursula Knoki-Wilson, CNM Scholarship for Indigenous Midwives. Ursula was one of the first Navajo certified nurse midwives in Arizona. She is always generous in sharing the Navajo culture and supporting midwifery. Details are still being developed, suggestions are welcome.
At the August Affiliate Board meeting, it was decided to offer Az. Affiliate Student membership at no cost. After reviewing the Affiliate membership fees charged by other Affiliates, it was also decided, to increase all categories of active membership fees to $35.00 per year.
Review of the goals set for 2020:
1. Continued ACNM and Affiliate membership growth, Goal - 200 by May 2021. Current Arizona Affiliate membership is 160 as of 8/7/2020
2. Increase midwifery visibility (inter-professional and consumer) in Arizona
3. Increased inclusion of senior midwives in ACNM and non-ACNM activities
4. Increased utilization of Arizona Affiliate website and Facebook page
5. Well attended Winter Summit held Feb. 29th @ Banner Medical Center, Phoenix Az.
6. The premier Az. Affiliate Midwifery Retreat scheduled for June 12th-14th, 2020 - Cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic, hope to reschedule for June, 2021.
7. Another Spinning Babies Workshop is scheduled for November 14th and 15th, 2020 at Gilbert Medical Center.
8. Offer scholarship/help with registration to CNMs/CMs interested in a leadership role within the Affiliate to Midwifery events (Midwifery Works, ACNM Annual meeting, etc.)
9. Schedule quarterly Affiliate meetings varying meeting place throughout the state.
Well, we are half way through 2020 and what a six months it has been. The Year of the Nurse and the Midwife will be remembered, but perhaps not for what we wished. With the COVID 19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the several Arizona wild fires, Stress is the normal. As midwives, we are forced to recognize the inequities of our healthcare system, whether for pregnant women and their babies, people of color, our indigenous population, or for seniors. Per Governor Ducey, if the healthcare crisis worsens, there won’t be adequate resources to care for all Arizonans, priority will be given to people who have more years to live, first responders and healthcare workers.
Nationally, ACNM has been collaborating with other stakeholders in maternal and child health, and with legislators to improve access to care, decrease the maternal morbidity and mortality statistics and increase the number of midwives being educated. The MOMS Act is making its way through the legislative process. For additional information on national and local legislation, please contact Janice Bovée, Arizona Affiliate Legislation Chair.
Several Affiliate Board members attended the virtual ACNM Annual Meeting and reported mixed experiences. I found it interesting and user friendly to navigate the education sessions, the business meetings and the social events. I am amazed at what the ACNM staff accomplished in such a short time going from an in-person meeting to a virtual meeting. Plus during the Annual Meeting, the ACNM staff and volunteer leaders were very visible. They put in many late hours setting up and checking last minute details for the next day’s activities. I am hoping that future Annual Meetings will included aspects from this years virtual meeting, so additional people can participate who don’t have the time or money to meet in Portland, Oregon May 21st -24th, 2021. A great deal of time and energy was spent on Diversion and Inclusion discussions at this years meeting. And those of you who follow ACNM CONNECT Town Hall are aware that the discussion continues on how to facilitate equality and inclusion in our organization, in our CNM/CM educational system, in our care and in our interaction with colleagues.
Locally, the Arizona Affiliate Board has continued to meet virtually approximately every other month. The Board moved to create a scholarship for an Arizona indigenous CNM/CM student. We recommend calling it the Ursula Knoki-Wilson, CNM Scholarship for Indigenous Midwives. Ursula was one of the first Navajo certified nurse midwives in Arizona. She is always generous in sharing the Navajo culture and supporting midwifery. Details are still being developed, suggestions are welcome.
At the August Affiliate Board meeting, it was decided to offer Az. Affiliate Student membership at no cost. After reviewing the Affiliate membership fees charged by other Affiliates, it was also decided, to increase all categories of active membership fees to $35.00 per year.
Review of the goals set for 2020:
1. Continued ACNM and Affiliate membership growth, Goal - 200 by May 2021. Current Arizona Affiliate membership is 160 as of 8/7/2020
2. Increase midwifery visibility (inter-professional and consumer) in Arizona
3. Increased inclusion of senior midwives in ACNM and non-ACNM activities
4. Increased utilization of Arizona Affiliate website and Facebook page
5. Well attended Winter Summit held Feb. 29th @ Banner Medical Center, Phoenix Az.
6. The premier Az. Affiliate Midwifery Retreat scheduled for June 12th-14th, 2020 - Cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic, hope to reschedule for June, 2021.
7. Another Spinning Babies Workshop is scheduled for November 14th and 15th, 2020 at Gilbert Medical Center.
8. Offer scholarship/help with registration to CNMs/CMs interested in a leadership role within the Affiliate to Midwifery events (Midwifery Works, ACNM Annual meeting, etc.)
9. Schedule quarterly Affiliate meetings varying meeting place throughout the state.