Nurses are drawn to particular specialties — one might want to work in pediatrics, others the challenging field of oncology, still others love the fast pace of the emergency room. Many nursing professionals go through career stages, changing their focus throughout the years.
An ever-expanding field needing dedicated nurses involves maternity education and coaches. That’s where a new program offered by University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing’s Care Management program comes in.
It’s called Maternity Coaching and Education. Nursing teams will provide coaching services and education individually tailored to each individual, offering support to clients in their communications with health care providers — and helping them to determine the best educational programs.
“The focus is on the client and personalized according to what is most important to her, said Margaret Beck, RN RLC, ANLC and care management consultant.” “The tailored plans and education materials prepare the client to anticipate changes and to minimize the stress of transitioning through the stages of pregnancy and the ‘4th Trimester’ of life with a new baby.”
The program will benefit pregnant women and expectant parents, as well as anyone feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about maternity health-related issues. Women and men working through the transition back to work and adoptive parents or grandparents caring for their grandchildren can also find support, guidance and assistance, Back said. While the program is not a substitute for a doctor, midwife, lactation consultant, childbirth educator, therapist or doula, however, it will make resources like that accessible, Back said. It also offers Bump to Baby & Beyond Bundles, as well as a la carte options, all designed for flexibility and to address the changing needs of individuals and families both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to share the knowledge I have acquired in the last 12 years as a maternal newborn nurse,” a maternity coach for the program, Ellie Standerfer, RNC-MNN, said. “I truly enjoy helping expectant mothers and new parents navigate through the exciting but sometimes overwhelming transition to parenthood and newborn care, “states Ellie Standerfer, RNC-MNN, maternity coach for the program.
Ziegler’s new maternity coaching program reflects changes the nursing profession has seen throughout the years, Back said. “I have sincere respect for the nursing profession and I have seen many changes in the profession and the development of new ‘specialty’ areas in my 50 years as an RN,” she said. “It is great to welcome this new opportunity for patient care and I am proud for that Maternity Coaching and Education Program to be available right here in Oklahoma.”
OU Nursing Care Management Program, founded in 1995, is a team of health care professionals providing care management, coordination and care management for individuals across the spectrum, assisting them with disease management, chronic conditions or other health care challenges or needs.
“Our program utilizes evident- based practices and serves a variety of individuals including participants receiving services from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority along with private care management clients,” said Teri Round, MS, BSN, RN, NE-BC, OU College of Nursing executive director of clinical operations.
Standerfer will join with OU College of Nursing faculty Stephanie Marfurt, PhD, RN, Kathryn Konrad, MS, RNC-OB, LCCE, FACCE, and Michelle Garrison, MS, RNC-OB on May 31 for a free panel discussion entitled Maternity Health: What Families Need to Know at the OU College of Nursing. The panel will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City. For more information about Maternity Coaching and Education program or additional details about the panel discussion, contact Lisa Macias at lisa-macias@ouhsc.edu.
