In recognition of Nurses’ Week and International Day of the Midwife, Upstream would like to thank nurses and midwives for all of the life-changing work they do, in contraceptive care and beyond. We wouldn’t be able to do our work of increasing equitable access to birth control without the knowledge, service and effort of nurses and midwives at our health center partner locations.
We are also lucky to have nurses and midwives as Upstream staff members. We asked our team to share their experiences and reflections with us.
“Nurses have such a unique role in health care and contraceptive care. They sit at eye level with patients in a way that facilitates getting to know their needs and desires. Nurses often make the connection between those intimate patient experiences to system-level change—advocating for patients at every level of an organization and beyond. Nurses carry their knowledge and experience of what patient-centered care and decision-making really look like into spaces far removed from the exam room. Nurses’ voices should be central to program and policy decision-making to make sure true contraceptive choice and bodily autonomy are held as imperatives.”
– Indigo Miller, MPH, BSN, RN (MA)
“Patient-centered care and consideration are first. Compassion, empathy and cultural competency should be at the heart of your work. Checking your own personal biases is key in successfully carrying out any role. Organization and big picture views are paramount. Multi-tasking and wearing many hats beyond your role leads to an increased ability to easily flex and pivot.“
– Dr. Terri Rorie, DHA, MHA, BSN, RN-BC (NC)
“Nurses often “go the extra mile” in many different ways, but all with the same goal – to provide the absolute best patient care. The willingness and ability to go above and beyond to establish rapport and trust, or to get extra information needed to guide care, or to even just sit and listen to someone for a few extra minutes are all behaviors from my nursing career that I bring to my QI work at Upstream.”
– Stephanie Bussmann, CNM, MSN (NC)
“Nursing is a broad and dynamic profession that isn’t limited to just inpatient care. We are a profession that serves individuals and communities. Service is at the very foundation of who we are as a profession. We are called to serve, to heal, to advocate, to listen and to love.”
– Mary Franz, RN, BSN (WA)
“Nurses are an important change agent in the healthcare arena, oftentimes becoming a voice for their patients. Through teaching, advocacy, research, and promotion of holistic health, nurses are able to identify a need and work to put a solution into practice.”
– Stacie Campbell, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC (NC)
“I think one of the most important things nurses can do in general, not just around contraceptive care, is to remind ourselves and our patients that they have a right to know everything related to their medical care. Then we must make sure to teach them accordingly.”
– Samantha Hyacinth, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC (MA)
From all of us at Upstream, thank you nurses! We appreciate your work and are committed to supporting you as our partners in our important mission.
