Episode 215
EO: 215 Regional Perinatal Maternal Educators Across TN
Contact information:
West Tennessee: Sequitha LeFlore-Thomas, Email: sleflore@uthsc.edu
Phone/Fax: 901-448-9982
Instagram: @wombandwell_np
Middle Tennessee: Susan Drummond, email: susan.drummond@vumc.org
Perinatal Regionalization Program Class Registration Form
East Tennessee: Michelle Oglesby, Email: regionalperinatal@utmck.edu or meoglesby@utmck.edu
Phone: 865-305-9300 Office or 715-401-3548 Cell
Southeast Tennessee: Jennifer Shelton, Email: Jennifer.shelton@erlanger.org
BEH Office: (423) 778-3547
Northeast Tennessee: Brandi Pratt, Email: Brandi.pratt@balladhealth.org
423-431-5352
Key Takeaways
Tennessee faces significant rural healthcare challenges with many counties lacking hospitals or obstetric services, making emergency department and EMS training critical for maternal and infant outcomes
All five regions offer comprehensive, tailored education including fetal monitoring, high-risk pregnancy complications, simulation training for emergencies, and NRP certification for first responders
Simulation-based training has proven immediately effective, with multiple examples of providers successfully applying learned skills within hours or days of receiving education
Regional educators customize their offerings based on local equipment, resources, and scope of practice, ensuring practical application in real-world scenarios
The statewide initiative provides free NRP training for EMS, fire departments, and police as first responders, recognizing that many deliveries occur outside hospital settings
Collaboration between hospital systems, emergency departments, EMS, and educational teams is essential for improving maternal and infant health outcomes across Tennessee
Healthcare providers can access these educational resources by contacting regional educators directly via email or phone to schedule customized training sessions
Quotable Moments
"I am passionate about women's health. I'm a Mississippi native, but Memphis has been home for me for about 15 years now."
"Just seeing how confident they were in their skillset afterwards, we kinda assess it before the class and then again afterwards."
"I've been in this position for over 30 years"
"It's so rewarding to see a new nurse go from novice to expert in their skill in interpreting tracings, which is such an important part of care for patients in labor."
"Many patients deliver far from home and first responders and emergency departments without OB services are often the first point of contact."
"The crew arrived, delivered the baby, and successfully provided care for both mom and baby. Knowing that the education we provided was immediately applied in real life and made a difference for the family was incredibly rewarding"
"I love having an opportunity to educate in several different variations of skill sets and to be able to have fun and allow them to walk away with that one wow factor that kind of sticks with them"
"Without this education we would've never known what to do. I think that makes all of our jobs rewarding and it really hits home when we get to help celebrate those wins"
"One of the things that I really focus on as part of the OB um, educator is being ready for the delivery with how to set up their warmer"
"Being asked to come back always makes me feel like I'm doing a good job and that we're all taking part in and helping to take care of our moms."
Show Notes by Barevalue.
No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.
