VOLUME 6 NUMBER 1 DISTRICTDISTRICT OFOF COLUMBIACOLUMBIA JANUARY 2009 NURSER EGULATIONE DUCATIONP RACTICE DR. RUTH LUBIC, DELORES L. FARR AND Government of the THE NURSE-MIDWIVES OF THE District of Columbia Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor FAMILY HEALTH AND BIRTH CENTER e-mail: OFFICIAL [email protected] PUBLICATION s web: of www.hpla.doh.gov the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BOARD OF NURSING1 $#.523%2%030%!+37)4( Babies Project founder nurse in Wards 5 and 6,” they told D.C. #%.4%2-)$7)6%3 Delores Farr reached out to NURSE:REP, but they will accept by Nancy Kofie local police officials, barber and walk-in clients, regardless of beauty shops, and went into drug the ward of the city they live The Vision treatment centers to find those in. According to Ms. Farr, “The The D.C. Developing Families in need of care and counseling. purpose of joining together was Center at 801 17th Street in In 1998, Dr. Ruth Lubic, a to offer collaborative care. All northeast Washington offers certified nurse midwife, founded services are free to enrolled a comprehensive array of Developing Families Center after families; our goal is to strengthen services—gynecological services, winning a MacArthur “genius families.” In 2000, the center’s the personalized care of nurse- grant.” It took a lot of pounding founder, Ruth Lubic, made her midwifes, pregnancy care, ability the pavement, knocking on doors, vision into a reality. The center to give birth with nurse midwives educating the community about houses three entities: The Family in a birthing room or at a hospital, the value of midwifery, rallying Health and Birth Center (FHBC), case management by nurses and residents, coaxing expectant the Healthy Babies Project family support workers, day care, mothers and fathers, and the (HBP), and the United Planning teen programs, and fatherhood tenacity to wage a three-year Organization Early Childhood support. Enrolled family members campaign (of gentle persuasion) Development Center (UPO ECDC). can take classes in obtaining a to convince the Hechinger family FHBC provides advance practice GED and job-seeking techniques. to donate the building in which nursing care in pediatrics, Families are provided with access the center is housed. “Ruth Lubic obstetrics, and gynecology. HBP to social service assistance, crisis is calling again,” was a refrain provides nurse case managers intervention, free immunizations, often sighed by the administrative and family support workers to education in self-care, and home staff at the Hechinger offices. at-risk pregnant women. These visitation. The staff makes every When Dr. Lubic founded the pregnant women are followed by effort to address as many aspects Developing Families Center, case managers until their babies of family life and wellness as Healthy Babies Project became are 2 years old. UPO ECDC is possible. one of the three non-profit a child development center for Establishing this center was organizations in this new center. children 6 weeks old to 3 years no easy task. In 1991, Healthy “We specifically do outreach old. Birthing room at FHBC e-mail:R egulation [email protected] s%ducation s0 sractice web: www.hpla.doh.gov 2323 Nursing Practice DC Developing Families Center have significantly reduced the availability of midwifery services The Midwifery Difference disparities in infant mortality.” mean more client control, and The value of midwifery is in the D.C. used to have the highest rates lower C-section rates, in addition stats. of infant mortality in the country, to the lower rates of infant Dr. Lubic says, “The time we but now the municipality which mortality. The C-section rate of spend with clients has made the has this statistic is Memphis, FHBC patients is approximately 9 difference. The midwives make Tennessee. percent — much lower than the it possible for the women to be In the D.C. community, the C-section rate citywide. expressive of their feelings. We center has proven that the But what makes the center so magnificent is not the 15- room facility, but the staff. “I have the greatest admiration for these midwives,” Dr. Lubic says. “It is not easy to function out of the hospital setting and in the hospital setting. For many people, there is a disconnect. They are not comfortable in both ThinkThinkaboutitnursing.comhinknkaboutitnursingaboutitnursing.comg.c places.” Career Pathways Education Recruitment The nurse-midwives at the Family Health and Birth Center have come to their profession 24 District of Columbia Nurse: R egulation s E ducation s P ractice from different career backgrounds. told us that the key to the data showing the worth of the Lisa Uncles, who is director success of the center is that the midwifery services. Recalling a of clinical services at the center, nurse-midwives each operate presentation the midwives did for told us, “For a lot of us it is a independent practices. “The the medical staff at Washington second or third career.” Ms. Center brings cost-savings to the Hospital Center, Ms. Roebuck Uncles started her career as a health care system,” Ms. Ross notes: “[Our C-section] stats spoke chemist responsible for testing says. It is “so much more fulfilling” volumes.” Because of her youthful the public drinking water. She than conventional care. “Working look, Ms. Roebuck often meets also worked as a bartender. When here is incredible,” she said. clients who assume she is also one of her co-workers invited her “You get to watch the babies you a client. When they find out she to a home birth, that experience deliver grow up” as they attend is a midwife, they are pleasantly was so profound, she decided the center’s child care program. surprised. to become a nurse-midwife. For Nurse-midwife and self- The midwives of the center all nurses considering a career described “midwife stalker” also deliver babies at Washington as a nurse-midwife, Ms. Uncles Ebony Roebuck is an ex-teacher Hospital Center, in addition to offers encouragement and says, who was so enamored with the within the warm, home-like “We need you! And there is a profession of midwifery that she birthing rooms at the center. No great need for more midwives became a volunteer at the center expectant mother is pressured of color.” Although the clients even before she entered nursing to give birth at the center. If do love all of the midwives—no school. “I believe so strongly in she would like to give birth at matter what color—having more the profession—the empowerment Washington Hospital Center she minority midwives would help for of women. Our patients are may. They also give referrals to the purposes of getting reluctant becoming informed consumers OB/GYNs if the client would like clients to come through the door. as they are with us.” And her one. Nurse-midwife Lisa Ross enthusiasm is backed up by the Family Health and Birth Center TH !NNUAL IN COOPERATION WITH THE ARKANSAS STATE BOARD OF NURSING Who said Continuing Education can’t be fun? We are changing that forever. Join ThinkAboutItNursing and Poe Travel for a CE Cruise that will cure your overworked blues with some salsa and sun on board Norweigan Cruise Lines ”Spirit”. While you’re soaking up the Caribbean culture, you can earn your annual CE credits AND write the trip off on your taxes. How is that for paradise? Prices for this cruise and conference are based on double occupancy (bring your friend, spouse or significant other please!) and start as low as $944 per person (not including airfare). If you won’t be attending the conference, you can deduct $75. A $250 non-refundable per-person deposit is required to secure your reservation for the cruise, BUT please ask us about our Cruise LayAway Plan. Inside Cabins start at $944 Ocean View Cabins start at $1164 Ocean View Cabins with balcony start at $1294 DAY PORT Sun. New Orleans Mon. At Sea Tues. Costa Maya Wed. Santo Tomas De Castilla THE 2009 NURSING CARIBBEAN EDUCATION CRUISE Thurs. Belize City Fri. Cozumel March 29 - April 5 Sat. At Sea For more information about the cruise and the curriculum, please log onto our website at www.thinkaboutitnursing.com Sun. New Orleans or call Teresa Grace at Poe Travel • toll-free at 800.727.1960 e-mail: [email protected] s web: www.hpla.doh.gov 25 Nursing Practice has 400 new obstetrics clients years,” Dr. Lubic joked. When Dr. more in control of their birth.” per year, and deliver about half Lubic first became a midwife in Ms. Nassar is a nurse practitioner of them. 1960, few people were impressed at the center. with her choice of nursing In addition to benefiting from Midwifery Rumors practice, she said. Since then, the expertise of nurse-midwives Have you been thinking she has dedicated her life to and nurse practitioners, the about a career as a nurse- the profession (and garnered a clients of the center also gain midwife but have been “genius grant” from the MacArthur access to breastfeeding peer discouraged by the rumors Foundation for her work). counselors and child development surrounding the profession? When they first opened specialists. For mothers about Perhaps you have heard the center, Ms. Farr told us, a to deliver, there is a doula on midwifery is unsafe or that “you’ll physician told her that having call 24 hours a day. (A doula is never get a job” or that “you’ll midwives deliver babies would “a professional who provides never get malpractice insurance.” lead to lawsuits. To which Ms. continuous physical, emotional All of these assertions are untrue, Farr replied, “Well, you might be and informational support to according to the midwives who sued, too.” Since then, she says, a the mother before, during and spoke to D.C.