To celebrate National Nurse Midwifery Week 2021, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing asked our Nurse Midwifery community members to share their stories and tell us a little bit about themselves.
This year has been a year of accomplishments for Mary R. Franklin, assistant professor and director of the Nurse Midwifery and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner programs at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. In May 2021, Franklin was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ANCM), one of the highest professional honors for a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM).
Despite incredible hardships and stress experienced by health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Franklin said she saw a lot of progress made within the nursing profession as well.
“The pandemic has highlighted the crucial role that nurses place in the health care team,” she said. “It is exciting to see nurses using technology in new ways to provide care, to see the important work of nurses highlighted in the media, and to see an influx of enthusiastic applicants to nursing programs.”
In addition to her leadership role in the midwifery and women’s health programs, Franklin is a mentor to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students conducting clinical research related to informatics and perinatal topics. Her own research focuses on cervical cancer screening.
It is the work with patients that keeps Franklin motivated in her role as a CNM and encouraged as an educator of future midwives.
“The ability to make a life-long difference in the health care experience of patients receiving reproductive health care is what inspires me about midwifery,” she said.
Franklin is a triple alumna of ǿմý, receiving her bachelors (’80), masters (’86) and DNP (’18) degrees from the school of nursing.
Get to Know: Mary R. Franklin, DNP, CNM, FACNM
How do you like to start your day?
Walking the dog in one of the beautiful parks in our neighborhood.
What is the best advice you ever received?
It is not the words you say that make the difference for patients; it is the listening that you do.
Where is the best place to spend a day in Cleveland?
The Cleveland Museum of Art
What’s your favorite thing about ǿմý?
The community of amazing people!