Nurse-Midwifery
Opportunities for Nurse-Midwifery Students
Interviews with Practicing Midwives
STEPP Clinic
STEPP clinic is one of the specialty clinics under the larger Shade Tree Clinic umbrella. STEPP (Shade Tree Early Pregnancy Program) is a free monthly clinic directed by medical and nurse-midwifery students who do everything from scheduling the clients, running clinic the days, seeing the clients, and following up on their lab work -- all in collaboration with attending certified nurse-midwives and physicians.
The Vanderbilt Volunteer Doula Program
Prior to coronavirus -related changes, the Vanderbilt Volunteer doula program was comprised of trained doulas both from the Nashville community, as well as enrolled VUSN students and Vanderbilt University students who have trained as doulas. At the present time, only VUSN enrolled students are approved to volunteer at VUMC. Doula training is provided twice yearly, for those who would like to participate in the program, but have not yet undergone training. This program is ramping back up after COVID-related changes in concert with the Vanderbilt Medical Center’s volunteer services office. Questions can be directed to Dr. Jesse Wellette, nashvillevolunteerdoulas@gmail.com .
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Global Health Certificate
Many nurse-midwifery students come to the program with a strong interest in global health issues, as well as a desire to one day practice in the global marketplace. VUSN students have the option to pursue a global health certificate while also completing their MSN. This interdisciplinary graduate-level certificate program in the study of global health is a vital step in initiating and promoting joint training opportunities in global health between various departments and schools at Vanderbilt. Students fulfilling all requirements will be granted a global health certificate at the time of graduation.
Opportunities for Student Leadership
Opportunities for nurse-midwifery students to take on leadership roles abound at VUSN. Students get involved in school committees (Men in Nursing, Students for Choice, Honor Council and School life, to name a few) as well as taking the opportunity to jointly lead (along with medical students) the STEPP (Shade Tree Early Pregnancy Program) clinic. Other students take lead student director roles of the Nashville Volunteer Doula Program. Our nurse-midwifery students are also involved at a national level in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), filling positions such as the student PAC (Political Action Committee) representative, as well as program representative to ACNM.
Vanderbilt Program for Interprofessional Learning (VPIL)
The future of health care depends on the ability of providers across the spectrum to be able to work together to meet the health care needs of the client. Recognizing the necessity to educate future health care providers who are savvy in interdisciplinary collaboration, the Vanderbilt Program for Interprofessional Learning groups students from various disciplines (nursing, medicine, social work and pharmacy) together in clinical groups, in a variety of clinical settings. Students see clients using a team approach, and thus learn to care for them relying on not only their own expertise, but the interplay and expertise of the other health care team members.
