Women’s Healthcare in the Community

Samantha DiTosti, Alissa Sipus, KayLynn Rounds, Gabby Jamieson, Whiley Drymon, Alex
Clark, Sydney Hurd, Sydney Matteotti, Madyson Pickett, Amber Wilson
Centering Pregnancy
1. How have your pregnant patients attitudes been towards being pregnant
while living through a pandemic?

It’s a mixed feeling of women being happy, financially concerned and those who feel
isolated. The women who are happy are excited to just be pregnant and be able to have
support and the prenatal care. Most women are feeling financially concerned due to maybe
not having a steady income or not having a father to help them take care of this baby. The
pandemic has also made lots of these people feel isolated due to restrictions on visitors or
not being able to go around people while being pregnant due to the virus spreading so
easily.

2. What types of people usually seek help through centering pregnancy.

Lots of different people, new mothers, immigrants that need a support system, low income
and working women. All different types of people with different backgrounds.

3. Are these pregnant mom’s usually compliant with things you ask of them
week to week while being a part of centering pregnancies program?

Depends, most are compliant and take the program seriously and others are non-compliant
no matter what you do to help. We are very flexible and try and help as much as possible by
offering them free transportation, we offer to give them prenatal care advise through a
phone call and we also offer to zoom call them if they for some reason can’t make it to their
weekly class. We ask that they try and participate in 5 of the 10 classes. They need to
participate in order to get the freebies at the end of the program.
Centering Pregnancy
4. Do you feel that all the incentives centering pregnancy is providing these
soon to be mothers are a big reason they participate in the program and
what are some of their incentives?

Yes, this is a big reason, but I feel that a least half of the women would still attend just
because they would like to learn what they should do for when their baby is born. It’s a
program that is funded through mercy foundation. For attending this program, they
will be provided with things like car seats, diapers, playpens, bouncers, wipes and
more.

5. How are the relationships between all the women that are participating
in centering pregnancy? Do they learn from one another?

This is one of the good things that comes from this program. We have a variety of
different types of mothers who we base classes off their due dates. Some women may
have children and already may know these things, but a lot of the time it’s their first
child. A lot of these women stay in contact with one another because they basically
went through their pregnancy together and they built a relationship while being in
class each week.

Spoke with: April Young, 3/24/22 @ 11:00am

KayLynn Rounds
Lactation Services SEB
1. Who is employed in your office (RNS, NPs, MDs)?

Two RNs in addition to IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant):

Cassandra and Holly

Holly: dietician as well

2. How has the pandemic affected how you deliver your services?

The worst that has occurred is canceling their classes such as childbirth, infant care, CPR,
breastfeeding and Tuesday support groups. The class on Tuesday was where mothers came
in and made friends in addition to weighing the babies The classes are still on hold bc the
hospital is limiting visitors.

3. What is the most used breast pump?

There was a tie. It was between Medela and Spectra. There was not a significant difference
between the two breast pumps.
Lactation Services SEB
4. What are the most common questions new breastfeeding mothers ask you?

The most common question is “how do we know if the baby is getting enough breast
milk?”

5. What are some key points to help transition back to work while breastfeeding?

The most important key point is making sure to have a good breast pump, a good place to
pump when at work, and making sure the baby can take a bottle before going back to work
by having the mother transition the baby to a bottle a couple of weeks ahead of time.

Melanie, 03/25/22 at 5:00 p.m.

 NEAR to You Midwifery and Doula
1. How has the pandemic affected your services?

The pandemic has made this agency a lot busier than usual.

2. On average, how many deliveries do you see in a month’s

time?

About 5 deliveries per month

3. Who is employed in the office/agency?

Rachel, the woman I spoke with, is the owner and a certified

doula. The only other individual that works for her is
another certified doula. They are not licensed midwives or
nurses.
 NEAR to You Midwifery and Doula

4. Do you have criteria a patient must meet in order to have a

home delivery?

This service only provides care to mothers having a home birth.

5. What is the role of a doula?

Nonmedical, emotional, physical, and spiritual support system

during and after delivery.

Spoke with Rachel on 4/15/2022

 Saint Elizabeth’s Boardman: Labor & Delivery
Interviewee: Kristen Kidd, PA

● Graduated in 2005 form the University of Nebraska Medical Center

1. Who is employed at your office/agency?
● Nurse practitioners
● Midwives
● House OB physicians
● Nurses
● Surgical technicians
2. Is there a specific population of mothers you provide care to or do
you see all pregnant women?
● Kristen cares for all patients on the L&D unit
● Her job is to triage patients when they arrival to the unit by the
gynecological complaint, performs an assessment, obtains a
history from these patients.
● The nurses or Kristen reports assessment findings and results
to the attending physician
 Saint Elizabeth’s Boardman: Labor & Delivery
3. What services do you provide to your clients?
● She is not an independent practitioner and works for St. E’s Boardman
● PAs can provide pt education, counseling on contraception, breast self-exams, prenatal care, and postnatal care

4. What question do you always ask your patients?

● Are you having any leakage of fluid, vaginal bleeding, cramping or contractions?
● Are you feelings fetal movement? Is your baby kicking or moving?
● Have you experienced any headaches, visual changes, epigastric pain or swelling?

5. What procedures do your perform?

● PAP smears
● Pelvic examinations
● Assists in C-sections
● Ultrasounds
● Colposcopies
● Endometrial biopsies
Beatitude House Sydney Hurd
Interviewed: Keshia Bales (Associative Director) on April 8, 2022
The Beatitude House creates homes, provides education, and fosters
families/women in need. They give people the opportunity to positively
change their lives.
1. How/why was the Beatitude House founded? It was founded by
Ursuline Sister Margaret in 1988 after she watched a film titled God
Bless the Child. Her goal was to help women and children break the
cycle of poverty and homelessness. “Over the past 30 years we grew
from serving four families on the Northside to serving 47 units of
housing in Mahoning & Ashtabula Counties. We also now offer 3
different programs- Housing, Immigrant Outreach Services, & our
Ursuline Sisters Scholars Program which assists pell grant eligible
college students with professional, social, and financial support.”
2. How would someone go about donating to the Beatitude House?
“They can reach out to us at 330-744-3147, check out our Facebook
page, or donate directly through our website. We are typically in need of
paper, food, cleaning, and hygiene products.”
Beatitude House Cont.
3. About how many women/families go through the Beatitude House
yearly? “In all of our programs we are serving over 200 men, women and
children per year.”

4. Do you have any specific stories/experiences from working there that

really touched your heart/you’ll never forget? “So many! Some of my
favorite days were when new families would move into our housing
programs…For some of the children we serve it is the first time they have ever
had a bed. To see a child’s face light up knowing the bed is for them is
unforgettable.…”

5. How has COVID-19 affected the way you go about caring for these
people in need? “We quickly adapted to meet needs in new ways. We utilized
phone calls and virtual ways to communicate with our residents, scholars, and
students. We offered online tutoring sessions and case management sessions. We
also checked in on residents and students and dropped off supplies to those in
need. We worked with our local health department to offer vaccinations and
masks to our clients. We are now back to in person sessions and are starting to
do small groups and tutoring sessions.”
Boardman Maternal and Fetal Medicine
1. Who is employed within your faculty?
a. 5 Doctors
i. 3-4 in office
b. 2 RNs
c. 1 Medical Assistant
d. 6 Sonographers
e. Receptionists
2. What patients do you see in your faculty?
Any high risk patient; diabetes, hypertension, multiples, etc.
They come in at any gestational age.
Patients that need to get any genetic testing can go here as well
Boardman Maternal and Fetal Medicine
3. How frequently do your patients come in for appointments?
It depends on the diagnosis and their gestational age.
Most commonly weekly or twice a week.
4. How did Covid-19 effect the services given?
Care was still provided to all mothers and babies, but there was separation.
Anyone Covid positive had to be in a closed off section.
5. Why would you recommend your office to others?
“We work well together and provide good care as a collaborative team.”
As well there are 2 locations in the area; Boardman and Warren
Childbirth Education SEB
Contact: Heather Holenchik

1.) How did the pandemic affect your role as a healthcare provider?
○ Heather went from being and labor and delivery nurse before the pandemic and then transitioned into a
lactation consultant. During the pandemic she was not able to enter the room of the patients and now
she is able to teach the patient at bedside.

2.) Did the pandemic cause mothers to become even more afraid to give birth?
○ Most mothers were more afraid because they were scared upon entering the hospital. Mothers were
scared to contract COVID.
Childbirth Education SEB
3.) Who works in the office?
○ 2 RN’s, 1 dietitian, 1 lactation consultant

4.) Did birthing classes stay at the hospital or move to a virtual setting?
○ Classes moved to a virtual setting via an app called Yomingo

5.) Who would attend birth classes in person?

○ Mom and her significant other, mom and her mother, mom and a friend
AWHONN Ohio-Conference Center-Association of Women's
Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

1.) How did the pandemic affect how you deliver your
services?
a.) The pandemic affected the Center because they travel to
speak publicly at conferences and different places to
educate people. It was very hard to travel during Covid in
general and also hard to speak publicly. This made online/
virtual conference more common and they still use this
form of presentation now.
2.) What services do you provide for women and
children?
a.) Lecture to provide education on different topics to help
mothers and fathers properly care for their babies
b.) Vendors pitch different products such as labor beds, fetal
monitoring, types of NICU warmers, bassinets, etc.
3. What are the duties of the sections?
DUTIES OF SECTION CHAIR DUTIES OF SECTION SECRETARY TREASURER

● Preside (if present) at all section meetings and meetings

● Assist the section chair
of the Section Coordinating Team
● Serve as chair of the Section Coordinating Team; ● Preside at section meetings in the absence of the section
● Coordinate section activities and monitor chapter chair
activities ● Ensure meetings are conducted according to Roberts’
● Provide leadership to enable the section to perform core Rules and keep the minutes of all meetings of the section
program and fiscal functions as defined by the AWHONN
● Manage all funds and securities of the section, including
Board of Directors
● Provide for orientation and recognition of section and funds from chapters, and deposits all monies in the name
chapter leaders of AWHONN – [Section Name] at headquarters as
● Submit periodic reports on section program and fiscal designated by the AWHONN Board of Directors
activity (including chapter activity) to the AWHONN Board ● Prepare annual section operating budgets (including
of Directors
chapter activity) for Finance Committee review and
● Appoint, with Section Coordinating Team approval, other
section leaders as necessary to carry out the functions AWHONN Board of Directors approval
of the section ● Submit financial reports to headquarters as required; and
● Perform all other duties usually associated with the office ● Perform all other customary duties of the office and other
of chair duties as assigned.
● Ensure section compliance with AWHONN requirements
and policies; and
● Serve as Section Nominating Committee chair in year
following term as section chair.
AWHONN Ohio-Conference Center
4. What are the responsibilities of the chapters?

● Program development includes continuing education based

on the women’s health, obstetric and neonatal education
needs of the members; participating in legislative and
regulatory activity, domestically at the state level and the
national level; encouraging research activities; and
participating in national AWHONN initiatives.
● Sections support development of new chapters and
enhancement of existing chapters and identify and develop
leaders, provide opportunities to network, develop leadership
skills and experience and plan for leadership succession.
AWHONN Ohio-Conference Center
“Our mission is to empower and support nurses caring for women, newborns, and
their families through research, education and advocacy. We are 693 strong.
5. Where do you travel?

a.) AWHONN travels all over the world

b.) In 2022 they plan on traveling to
i.) King of Prussia, PA
ii.) Washington, DC
iii.) London, England
iv.) Glasgow
v.) Langenfeld, Austria
vi.) Newport Beach, CA
vii.) West Palm Beach, FL
viii.) Oklahoma city, OK
ix.) Boston, USA
x.) Canton of Geneva, Switzerland
xi.) Sao Paulo, Brazil
xii.) Berlin, Germany
xiii.) Coral Gables, FL
xiv.) San Antonio
xv.) Barcelona, Spain
xvi.) Limassol, Cyprus
xvii.) Zaragoza, Spain
 The Midwife Center for Birth and Women's Health
1. Who can give birth at the midwife birth center?

They allow women who have a low risk pregnancy which is about 80% of
women. They state that the birth center care is the best for healthy
women who are ready to take an active role in their health care.

2. How long do the patients stay at the birth center after the baby is born?

Patients usually leave the birth center between 4-12 hours after giving birth.
They tend to go home before 12 hours.

3. How has Covid-19 affected the midwife birth center?

Currently the office considerations are unlimited support people for office
visits, but social distance in waiting room. You can have an unlimited number
if support people with no proof of vaccination required.
4. What other services does the midwife center offer?

Behavioral health and wellness, breastfeeding support, community education and engagement and
primary GYN care (including: annual gynecological exams, contraceptive counseling, urgent health
concerns, STI screenings and treatments, natural family planning and fertility awareness, etc.)

5. What are some of the Pain management options are available?

Support techniques that are learned in your childbirth classes. Also lotions, birth balls, IV pain
medications. Nitrous Oxide is offered as well, the midwife center is one of the few places in
pittsburgh that offer this. (Gives the effect of euphoric feeling that dulls the intensity of the labor
pain and reduces anxiety.)

(Fun Fact: Nation's largest freestanding birth center)