Nurse-midwifery faculty, students earn national
recognition

When nursing students enter KU's midwifery education program this fall, their teachers will include the national instructor of the year.

Judie Wika, clinical assistant professor, received the Instructor of the Year Award at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Nurse Midwives, the oldest women's health care organization in the United States. More than 2,000 certified nurse-midwives and student nurse-midwives attended the meeting.

Three other School of Nursing representatives received awards at the meeting: Ginger Breedlove, clinical assistant professor, was inducted into the ACNM as one of 10 fellows for 2002; student Ann Wright received one of 25 Wyeth-Ayerst Student Reporter Awards; and student Cathy Gordon received one of 25 Varney Participant Awards and the ACNM Foundation Memorial Scholarship.

KU's Kansas Collaborative Bi-State Nurse-Midwifery Education Program was established at the School of Nursing in 1999. The master's-level educational program is fully accredited

The multi-campus nurse-midwifery education program prepares master's-level certified nurse-midwives to provide pregnancy and well-woman care a culturally diverse population of women in the Kansas City area and the state of Kansas, especially to women who are medically underserved.

In recruiting students, the program gives priority to candidates living in or willing to work in underserved areas or in areas with critical maternal and infant indicators. The second class will graduate this summer.

For more information, visit http://www2.kumc.edu/midwife/index.htm.

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