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PS From Penny Simkin
| January 20, 2012
Volume 4, Number 1
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Greetings!
 Happy New Year! I hope you're sticking to your New Year's Resolutions! I have a couple of fairly urgent matters to share with you. The first is a local matter that has much wider ramifications. The University of Washington, which has been rated for 20 straight years as the Number One School of Nursing in the country by several organizations (including US News and World Report), has decided they want to close their Nurse-Midwifery program. It's been in existence for 19 years and has graduated 100 nurse-midwives. I know and respect many of the graduates and the faculty, none of whom had any say in the decision. It is unclear why the decision was made; the program is self-sustaining financially, has an excellent reputation, always has full classes, and has graduated all its students. The decision to close the program will be reviewed by the university before it is enacted, so there may be an opportunity to prevent the closure of the program. Below is a letter I have written to key people at the School of Nursing and the University of Washington, in hopes that they will reconsider. I hope that many of you, especially in Washington state, will join me in writing a letter. Change.org, web-based civil justice organization, has taken up this cause, which means we can sign an online petition that will be sent to the University of Washington. A large number of signatures may show the leadership of the University that midwives are highly valued by LOTS of people and persuade them not to close the program. Will you help? Click here to sign the petition. I think we may be able to reverse the decision! I'm optimistic that with your help, we may be able to save the midwifery program, and use this opportunity to show those who have the power to determine the availability and accessibility of midwifery that people really want and value the midwifery approach to maternity care. I also want to let you know about my upcoming "When Survivors Give Birth" with Phyllis Klaus in Seattle, so please read about that below. |
Join Me in Writing to the University of WA School of Nursing to Reconsider the Closure of the CNM Program.
from Seattle midwife, Elias Kass, ND/LM, for more information, including the addresses for letters to the University of Washington.
My Letter:
I am writing to express my sadness and puzzlement over the recent decision by the UW School of Nursing to recommend closure of the Nurse-Midwifery Education Program. My understanding is that the reasoning behind this decision was not based on financial considerations since this program is actually financially self-sustaining. Rather, the decision was made to increase efficiency and sustainability in the functioning of the School of Nursing.
At this time, maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes in the USA (including maternal mortality and morbidity, perinatal mortality and morbidity, cesarean section rates, induction rates, prematurity rates) are alarmingly high and far worse than other industrialized countries. I don't understand why you would jettison this program, which graduates outstanding practitioners who contribute to the improvement of maternal-infant health in our region and our country. The decision is a major setback for both maternal-infant health and for the UW, an admired source of high quality education of practitioners who provide excellent, accessible, affordable care. As the Number 1 School of Nursing, what kind of example are you setting to back away from the opportunity (obligation?) to exert your leadership in correcting this critical health problem? This is unfathomable to me. This is the time to build on the fine and financially successful Midwifery Program, and make even greater contributions in the future.
As one who has been and continues to be an active participant in maternity care as a parent, consumer advocate, teacher, doula, author, lecturer, and avid supporter of midwifery for the past 50 years, I beg you to reconsider the implications of this decision for the health and well-being of mothers, babies, and families, as well as the university. Perhaps there are better ways to promote efficiency and sustainability than to close a successful program that fits so well with the UW School of Nursing's mission statement, the goals of numerous public health organizations, and the recognized need for more evidence-based care models of maternity care.
With fervent hopes for your reconsideration,
Penny Simkin, PT
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When Survivors Give Birth, a Two-Day Workshop - February 4 & 5, 2012
Bastyr University - Kenmore WA (just outside Seattle)
My other item is very different in nature. I want to tell you that I am soon offering a 2-day workshop with my friend, colleague, co-author, and eminent psychotherapist, Phyllis Klaus, titled, "When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Trauma and Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women." We rarely do these together and hope some of you will come. It's coming right up, however, on Feb. 4 and 5 at Bastyr University near Seattle. For more information and to register, click here.
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My YouTube Video on Delayed Cord Clamping
I've been mentioning this video in my last issues of PS. if you didn't check it out, please do.(I'm excited that this video has gotten over 18,000 views!) Right now we are learning a great deal about potentially harmful routines in the third and fourth stages of labor. Timing of cord clamping is just one huge issue. Please share this video!
Let's get 50,000 views!
 | | Penny Simkin On Delayed Cord Clamping |
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Special on When Survivors Give Birth Book
As a celebration of our opportunity to work together, Phyllis and I, with this newsletter, are offering a 25% discount on the book we wrote together, "When Survivors Give Birth." List price is $34.95, but between now and the end of February it will cost $26.00
Click here for ordering information.
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Upcoming Workshops with Penny
Websites are provided where we have that information When Survivors Give Birth
Penny teaches this not-to-be missed workshop with Phyllis Klaus, MFT, LMSW 02.4-5.12 Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA More Information> Maintaining Normalcy in Childbirth 02.16.12 Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
More Information> Workshop for Bini Birth
03.31.12, North Hollywood, CA More information> 2 day workshop on childhood sexual abuse and its impact on the
childbearing woman*
04.19-20.12, Toronto ICEA Regional Conference - one day workshop* 04.27.12, Battle Creek, Michigan
Midwives Assoc. Conference* 5.4-5.12, Denver, Colorado Perinatal Education Day*
05.11.12, Hamilton, Ontario Birth Doula Skills Workshop, Bastyr University 06.19-22.12 Kenmore, WA More Information> 2012 NACEF Annual Conference 08.04.12 More information to come Birth Doula Skills Workshop, Bastyr University 09.12-15.12 Kenmore, WA More Information>
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Other Popular Products from Penny
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For my new readers and those who joined my list from the start, I invite you to visit my website. Many of my presentations and handouts are posted there for you to download, and my presentation schedule is also posted there. If I come to your area to speak, please come and see me, and let me know you're on my newsletter list. I hope to keep in touch with you informally on maternity care topics that mean the most to me.
I'd love your feedback.
All the best, dear friends,
Penny
PS Click here to visit us on Facebook
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