Short and Long Term Goals

Hello!

Guess what?  I finished nursing school, passed my boards, and got a job!  Yes I did!

Last week I began orientation for the new job and I still can’t stop looking at that badge with those letters: R. N.  Throughout the week, HR people kept asking me “are you here for the nursing such and such?” or “are you a nurse?” and I”m still skipping a beat before remembering/acknowledging, “….. … ….YES! I am!”

I’m lucky for many reasons — that I even got a job in this market — but also because the hospital I’m working for seems to be good to the nurses and to actually care about professional development.  I felt so beat down and jaded by the end of nursing school, but learning about all the opportunities and professional support my hospital offers, I’m beginning to get excited again about my nursing career.  Some things I’m interested in pursuing in the short term are the clinical ladder, using my educational benefit for conferences, and finding ways to mentor new nurses once I get on my feet (I’m already mentoring nursing students!).  I also want to get in the nook and crannies of the administration (committees? finding HR allies?) and introduce LGBTQ competency – it was the one area that was really lacking throughout our training and in their policies.  But, of course, I primarily want to be patient with myself in the next six months as I transition into being a real nurse and learning real nursing – which I understand will not be easy!  I’m scared, but I’m ready for the challenge.

In the longer term?  I’m starting to let myself think about becoming a nurse practitioner again.  I really feel that getting the midwifery training and type of job I would like is very unlikely in the region where I currently live.  I know one young midwife that had to drive three hours to her clinical site and I’ve been told many times that if you want a job in midwifery, you have to move.  If I do go back to school within the next few years, I’ll likely pursue the Family Nurse Practitioner and Midwife titles.  Ultimately, I do want to be a midwife – I’m just not sure how/when/where!

In the mean time I have *so* much to learn and am happy to be on the journey there!

Babies Occupy!

#OccupyTogether

Those of you who know me on Twitter may have noticed that I’ve become very preoccupied (har har) with the occupation movements.  I have a longer post brewing, even though it may never come to light due to nursing school craziness.

For now:

Some things that concern me about Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Movements: 

1. They didn’t show up for us.  I know Slut Walk was problematic in its own right, but I’m kinda with Sadie Doyle on this one anyway.  Progressive men need to be more concerned about gender based violence.

2. Can the Subaltern Speak?  I don’t see faces that are representative of the 99% who are the most abused and marginalized in cities such as Austin, Charlotte, Seattle, Portland, and New York.  Even though many who have witnessed the sites remark on the diversity of the crowds, those who are speaking for the Occupation Movements in local and national media are, to put it bluntly, white guys.  My local Occupation made a call online for “spokespersons” who could speak for the group after some less than flattering interviews, and I cringed when the only demographic who responded were white dudes.  I am still eager to support them, but I will not support a long-term movement if women, POC, and queers become supporting cast.

3. Too Many Haters: I find the relentless skepticism, misinformation, and derision to be literally depressing.  I get it; the innocence of the ’60s is gone or whatever, and you haters out there can’t stand the idea that something cool and radical could be happening.  But Occupy isn’t a romantic gesture towards the Anti-Vietnam demonstrations or US Civil Rights movements.  We need not be nostalgic or reductive; Occupy is genuinely exciting (and moving, and expanding).

On the other hand,

1. @OccupyTheHood: is amazing.  And so are the other conversations about race, gender, class (and this one!), sexuality, and ability that seem to be emerging.  And so are the POC leaders of the movement.  And so are the queers and gays who are rallying for economic justice rather than gay marriage.

2. A “Leaderless Movement” Means: that, technically, there are no leaders.  You are your own leader, in your own town, wherever you damn well are or whoever it damn well pleases.  Of course, leaders do, anyhow, emerge by default – and they reproduce oppressive hierarchies already in play.  But unlike in real life, there is actually recourse built into consensus models that are used in general assemblies. These performances of participatory democracy are, in my opinion, transformative.  It is an important strategy that models and raises consciousness about the importance of ingrained fairness.

3. The Demands Are Fabulous: I will post them here since the media can’t seem to find them.

Although I’ve been burning up my twitter about #OWS, I’ve noticed a deafening silence from many of my birth-repro-prochoice-activist crowd on the growing movement.  Even though the largest nurses union in the US was out protesting with Occupy Movements, there was nary a peep from the American College of Nurse Midwives during National Midwifery Week in the early days of Occupy.

Why?

Occupy has resonated with too little of the 99%.  But families of all stripes who are considering reproductive choices (I think that covers basically everyone, or at least the 99%, or at least everyone on my twitter feed) need Occupy Wall Street.

+ Today marked at least the seventh federal attack on our legal right to choose abortion this year.  My feeling is that conservatives are provoking culture wars to drum up support in the ballot box and distract us from the enormous disparities in wealth they’re creating.  Or maybe they just really do hate women?

+  Corporate healthcare privileges the medical model and keeps normal birth underground.  Quite frankly, normal birth takes too long, and c-sections make more money and avoid more lawsuits.  The way birth is managed in corporate healthcare models has contributed to an outrageous maternal mortality problem in this country – particularly for mothers of color.

+ Domestic violence was decriminalized in Topeka, Kansas to save money.  Welcome to the austerity measures and its victims.

For these reasons and many more, we need Occupy Wall Street, too.

Find your local occupation here: 
http://www.occupytogether.org/

How Do You Know?

Hello out there!  I can almost hear the echos (hello… hello…hello)!

But I am still here! And guess what?  I’m half way through nursing school!  A round of champagne for all!  Trust me, we deserve it.

For now, I am slogging through nursing research, mental health nursing, and a NCLEX review course.  I’m super excited for the Fall — I will finally get to do my Labor and Delivery rotation!

But lately I’ve been a different sort of birthing crazed.

Coincidentally, today is M and my fourth anniversary (cue the tooting horns and confetti!).  And the question on our minds these days is: when do you know it’s time.  You know.  Baby Time.  Queer parents, you know how much of an uphill battle it is: securing the baby juice, saving up your queer dollars for all the expenses, finding competent health providers, prepping your friends and family, wondering what you need a lawyer to do to make sure your family is safe from outrageous instances of homophobia.  And, yeah, making a living being.  So it’s a big decision.

Or is it?  Some people act like you just know sometimes.  That’s where I am a little.  I mean, the clock is ticking in these quarters.  Really loud.  My logic is: life is good right now and we are going to have an awesome babe and be the best parents ever (duh) so let’s order some ovulation kits and start researching baby shower invites.  But M needs to know how we will know we know for sure.  How will we KNOW.

Queer mamas, how did you know?  Did you make a list of pro’s and con’s?  Did you have reliable baby making friends you asked?  Did you post a general plea for advice on your blog?

Cultural Competency: LGBTQ

via the National LGBT Cancer Network

 

NC Midwife Arrested: Update

There have been a few local news stories trickling in, but not much more information surrounding the case. Fortunately, this awful event seems to be stirring up a lot of dust around legalizing CPMs in North Carolina.

A rally in Raleigh, NC is scheduled for March 2nd to support the licensing of CPMs.  More info here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=168145996571568

Various legal defense fundraisers have been set up for Amy Medwin and can be found at
http://www.ncfom.org/
.

I’ll continue to post action alerts as they arise!  Until then, my thoughts and warmest condolences go out to Amy and the families she serves.

North Carolina Midwife Arrested

Yech.  So sad.

For now, please help get the word out.  I’ll continue posting updates as they arise.

Press release from North Carolina Friends of Midwives

RALEIGH, NC – On February 19, a Certified Professional Midwife who would be licensed and regulated in neighboring states was arrested for performing the duties for which she is trained. Charged with practicing midwifery without a license, her practice is in jeopardy. Should it close, dozens of pregnant women will face a crisis of care. “Our focus is on the mothers,” says a fellow Certified Professional Midwife. “This is an unfortunate day for mothers in North Carolina.” It is also an unfortunate day for the taxpayers of North Carolina, as they face the potential for a huge bill as the case winds its way through the criminal courts.

Unlike the laws in Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida, North Carolina law denies childbearing women access to legally practicing Certified Professional Midwives, who are specially trained as experts in the provision of out-of-hospital maternity care. Because North Carolina does not license CPMs, they remain open to criminal prosecution for unlicensed health care practice, despite the fact that they are the primary care providers for women all across the United States who deliver their babies in private homes and freestanding birth centers.

CPMs are legally recognized in 27 states, but North Carolina is one of a handful of states that explicitly prohibit their practice. The arrest of one of the state’s most experienced and well-respected CPMs has sent shockwaves throughout the home birth community, leaving pregnant women across the state wondering if their midwife will be next.

“Using the police and the criminal courts to investigate and discipline health care providers is the most costly, inefficient, and ineffective form of professional regulation possible,” said Katie Prown, PhD, Campaign Manager of The Big Push for Midwives Campaign. “If this proceeds to trial the taxpayers of North Carolina are looking at hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of dollars wasted, when a simple case review is all that is indicated.”

Despite a groundswell of grassroots support from across the state, the North Carolina General Assembly has repeatedly declined to pass legislation to license and regulate CPMs, thanks to entrenched opposition from the North Carolina Medical Society.

“It is time we stop rolling over to the bullies and special interests, manage our house the right way, and let democracy and common sense prevail,” said Russ Fawcett, Vice President of the North Carolina Friends of Midwives. “In this economy we simply cannot afford to waste resources on prosecuting midwives when we have a simple, cost-effective solution at hand—enacting legislation to license and regulate CPMs, just like our neighbors have done.”

North Carolina Friends of Midwives is a grassroots organization of advocates dedicated to promoting, supporting, and protecting access to midwifery care in North Carolina.

 

via
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17009147483

http://www.ncfom.org/