Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109931

Shirley E. Van Zandt, MS, MPH, PhD(c) and Elizabeth T. Jordan, DNSc, MSN, RNC. School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe Street, #443, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-5297, svanzand@son.jhmi.edu

Through an innovative program which trains nursing students as doulas, students gain skill in supporting women through pregnancy and labor. Students report that their nursing education is enhanced by this experience which compliments their community health nursing and obstetrical nursing education.

Doula care has historically been provided by untrained women supporting women in labor. However, since the early 1990's many individuals and agencies are offering doula services to women by trained certified doulas. Nurses, though generally supportive of the movement, have not consistently embraced the philosophy and integrated the techniques of doulas care into their care of pregnant and laboring women.

Graduates of the baccalaureate nursing program who participated in this elective program were surveyed 1-2 years after graduation. The survey intended to determine if the benefits of this experience carry into their practice as new nurses, especially in public health nursing. Nurses who completed the doula training as students and participated as doulas report that they use these skills in their practice as new graduates. The results of the survey support the benefits of training nursing students as doulas and suggest that their participation in this educational program has influenced their nursing philosophy and practice.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the role of a doula in prenatal and intrapartum care of pregnant women, especially in advocacy, patient educaton and comfort measures
• Review the results of a survey about new graduates' experiences as baccalaureate students trained as doulas on their education and practice, especially in public health
• Consider the benefits of an elective baccalureate doula training course on the future practice of nurses in public health

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Prenatal Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.