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Midwifery students seize opportunity for professional growth

On a chilly February day, a room of nearly 100 midwives buzzed with energy and anticipation. They were gathered for the annual American College of Nurse Midwives' Midwifery Forward conference in Findlay, Ohio, where five students from �ǿմ�ý’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing were about to present their most recent research.

Taylor Recinella, RN—a second-year Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Certified Nurse Midwifery (CNM) was one of those students.

Recinella presented about the effects of early menarche, or first menstrual period. Girls who get their first periods by age 10, she explained to her attentive audience, are more susceptible to health problems later on in life, such as endometriosis, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and asthma. As caregivers, it’s important for them to know when a patient had early menarche so they can properly intervene to reduce health complications.

“I heard a lot of side chatter and feedback about how interesting it was,” said Recinella, “and how they learned something new, which was a great feeling for me!”

Recinella and four other MSN and CNM students—Kathryn Timlin, RN; Kara Wargo, RN; Clara Medwid, RN (NUR ’21); and Marshae Lashley, RN (NUR ’21)—traveled to the conference with support from the School of Nursing.

All were recipients of the Graduate Student Nurses Association’s Professional Growth Grant. With all expenses paid, the presenting students were able to focus on their research projects.

“It made it much more enjoyable to go knowing we were all covered and supported by the university,” said Timlin.

Timlin, Recinella and their peers plan to attend the conference in the future, even after they graduate next year.

“This conference gave me more profound knowledge through all the presentations and meeting other midwives,” said Recinella. “I will carry those things with me as I begin my new career.”

Timlin found the entire experience to be inspiring. “It validates what [we’re] doing right to make a positive impact on labor, birth, women’s health—and society as whole.”

This article appears in the print edition of Forefront magazine, summer 2024. Find more stories from Forefront at case.edu/nursing/news-events/forefront-magazine.