Region VI Spring Update: The Benefits of Being an Affiliate Member

A new regional continuing-education webinar series has launched to increase engagement in the Region VI.

One of the benefits of an ACNM membership is being a member of an affiliate. Affiliates provide a wealth of opportunities for members through collaboration, advocacy, and continuing education. Region VI affiliate leadership recently launched a regional continuing-education webinar series to increase engagement in the region. The webinars, organized by a small committee of members from around the region are free to all ACNM Region VI members. Each webinar is hosted by an affiliate, which identifies a speaker and financially supports the ACNM continuing education unit costs. Our first event included 50 attendees, and our next already has more than 100 registrants!

Region VI is doing tons of great work to provided educational opportunities for members. In this update, some of our affiliates share what they have been up to recently.

Colorado Affiliate

We are planning our 16th annual Colorado Nurse Midwifery Symposium for September 27, 2019, during National Nurse-Midwifery Week. In addition to being an educational event, the symposium also serves as a fundraiser for our Colorado lobbyists. We gather as a state to network, learn, and celebrate being nurse-midwives. The event always includes wonderful speakers, a poster session, and a vibrant silent auction.

Arizona’s Winter Summer featured national and local speakers on perinatal mood disorders.

Arizona Affiliate

Arizona has held a variety of continuing conferences throughout the years. This year, we met for a Winter Summit on February 23rd, 2019. The program, Challenges in Perinatal Mood Disorders: Assessment, Treatment and Advocacy, featured national (Christena Raines, Perinatal Psy NP) and local (Cara English, DBH, Leigh Lewis, DBH, Bobbi Vogelsand, ND) speakers who discussed resources for managing depression in both parents. CNMs received 7.6 CEUs plus an opportunity to win door prizes, do some yoga during breaks, enjoy nutritious snacks, interact with numerous vendors, and network with CNMs and SNMs from throughout the state.

Texas Affiliate

Texas holds an annual event, appropriately called The Gathering, at which CNMs, LMs, and CPMs enjoy fellowship while earning CEUs. The Gathering started in 1999 and was the brainchild of Sr. Angela Murdough. The event provides an opportunity to come together in sisterhood to celebrate those bonds and connect on a deeper, more personal level. It is a weekend of relaxation in a serene landscape, learning from brilliant speakers, and laughing with friends old and new.