What 2020 WHO Designation Means for U.S. Nurses, Midwives

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 the Year of the Nurse and Midwife to highlight the contributions of these professionals to achieving global health targets. The designation is “a call for countries to recognize and address shortages of these professionals and invest in preparing nurses to effect a rapid, cost-effective scaling up of high-quality care,” Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the University of Virginia School of Nursing and vice president of the International Council of Nurses told the American Journal of Nursing. Although midwives make up a small minority of U.S. nurses, Cipriano noted they are critical primary care providers in many communities outside the U.S. Midwives attend a majority of births in many developed countries, but only about 9% of U.S. births. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates three-fifths of pregnancy-related U.S. deaths are preventable. The 2020 spotlight could elevate midwifery as a partial solution to this problem. “We're getting the world's attention, so now it's our time to act and unlock the power and potential of nurses and midwives to be decision makers and leaders in the community,” said Leslie Mancuso, PhD, RN, FAAN, speaking to the United Nations in September. Mancuso is president and chief executive officer at Jhpiego, an international health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. “Building a robust nursing and midwifery workforce in order to meet universal health care demands is not going to happen by chance,” she added. “It's going to happen when we invest.”