Versailles, Kentucky, June 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Versailles, Ky. -- Catherine Collins-Fulea, DNP, CNM, FACNM, and Assistant Professor at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) was officially inducted as the new president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) at the organization’s annual meeting on May 31. ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States.
Collins-Fulea, who also received her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from FNU, succeeds FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, as ACNM’s president. Stone, who has been president at FNU since 2001, served as the ACNM president for the past two years.
“I am so proud that Dr. Collins-Fulea is the new ACNM president, not only because of her affiliation with FNU, but also because I know she will be an outstanding leader for the organization,” Stone said. “Her experience as a clinician, administrator, and educator makes her the ideal person to advocate for midwives and lead us in the years ahead.”
After completing her basic nursing and midwifery education in England, Collins-Fulea opened an in-hospital birthing center at Grace Hospital in Detroit in 1981 when only five other CNMs were practicing in the entire state. She joined the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit in 1991, where she started a new practice with six other CNMs. Over the years, she grew this practice into one of the most respected in the state, leading 22 midwives at two hospitals and practicing in 8 outpatient centers.
Collins-Fulea, who joined the faculty at FNU in January 2019, has been active professionally on both the state and national levels with ACNM. She has chaired many committees including the Michigan chapter of ACNM; the national quality management section; the division of standards and practice; the service directors network; and the volunteer structure re-alignment task force. In addition, she has served as a regional representative on the ACNM board of directors and two terms as vice president.
“I am deeply honored to be the president of ACNM,” Collins-Fulea said. “I am grateful to Dr. Stone for her leadership over the past two years and look forward to building upon her great work. There are many challenges ahead, and I am eager to begin this journey.”
In 1998, Collins-Fulea was inducted as an ACNM Fellow. In 2003 she received the prestigious Dorthea Lang Pioneer Award from the ACNM Foundation in recognition of her work developing and implementing ACNM benchmarking and her work as editor and author of An Administrative Manual for Nurse-Midwifery Services. She has published on clinical as well as practice issues and has spoken nationally and internationally on a variety of topics.
As ACNM’s new president, Collins-Fulea will be supported by the leadership at ACNM, which also welcomed other newly inducted officers to its Board of Directors during the annual meeting.
About Frontier Nursing University:
The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.
About the American College of Nurse-Midwives:
ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States. ACNM sets the standard for excellence in midwifery education and practice in the United States and strengthens the capacity of midwives in developing countries. ACNM members are primary care providers for women throughout the lifespan, with a special emphasis on pregnancy, childbirth, and gynecologic and reproductive health.
What is a Certified Nurse–Midwife (CNM) and Certified Midwife (CM)?
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. They earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) to receive the professional designation of CNM. Certified Midwives (CMs) are educated in the discipline of midwifery. They earn graduate degrees, meet health and science education requirements, complete a midwifery education program accredited by ACME, and pass the same national certification examination as CNMs to receive the professional designation of CM.
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