UW closing its nurse-midwifery program?!

[LookingAhead]

This news is so depressing; we need more midwives, not fewer!

Is anyone here currently in the program or hoping to be in it?

The petition protesting this decision is here: http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-uw-nurse-midwifery-education-program

UW School of Nursing's priorities can no long bear midwives?

Midwives never get much respect, especially from doctors. But now the UW's School of Nursing wants to end 19-year-old nurse-midwife training program, judging that it doesn't meet a "societal need."

Never come between a midwife and a birthing baby.

I learned this firsthand about a decade ago, when my son unexpectedly sprinted to the finish line of his own birth. Our midwife-who was also a nurse at the UW Medical Center-kicked over a trash can and practically bowled me over on her way to catch my son tumbling into the world.

Now I suspect the UW's School of Nursing is about to get bowled over, too.

Last month, the faculty there recommended eliminating the UW's 19-year-old midwife training program.

That isn't surprising on its own. Just about everything is on the chopping block these days.

It was their reasoning. It has angered midwives all over the region. Not to mention thousands of moms.

The nurse-midwife program was judged not to meet a "societal need." In fact, maternal and newborn health were not even on the list of societal needs drawn up by a UW committee looking to cull programs...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2017242298_danny15.html

[blackbird singing]

Yeah I saw that and I was totally surprised. Midwifery is especially popular in the PacNW... maybe there is currently an oversaturation? I didn't think it made sense, of all schools to get rid of their midwifery program. And UW has a pretty decently ranked one, too!

[myelin]

The UW nursing department is currently under fire and has been having serious problems for months now. It's one main reason why I opted not to apply for the accelerated BS at UW even though I'd get in state tuition. It's a shame. I read this article today and found it very disappointing, though not shocking (sadly).

[babyNP., APRN]

Myelin, care to comment further on the UWSON? What do you mean that they are currently under fire? (I'm from Seattle, although live on the east coast now)

Yeah I have no idea why UW would close it? eep.

[myelin]

There have been major, major problems with faculty, research funding, all kinds of internal issues, etc. I think there was a huge problem with the dean a while back? There was an article published in the Seattle Times a while ago, you could probably find it online. Basically, the cuts to funding due to the economic crisis have decimated the program. It seems like they're going to have to seriously scale down the program for a long time and then rebuild it. It just doesn't seem like a good time to get involved in UW nursing with the department in such disarray.

Found an article: Local News | Money woes, infighting plague UW nursing school | Seattle Times Newspaper