BIRTH
EMERGENCY
SKILLS
TRAINING®
for
out-of-hospital
providers
Training Out-of-Hospital maternity care providers in the essential skills required to recognize and manage obstetrical emergencies.
Birth Emergency Skills Training® (BEST) is the longest-running emergency skills course for out-of-hospital midwives, proudly educating thousands of participants since 2008. Participants build on core competencies and apply current evidence to clinical practice with a thorough review of the materials in the online format, reflective discussions, followed by instructor facilitated skill simulations in the hands-on workshop along with peer-to-peer sharing.
Andrea Dixon created the original BEST program based on the award winning book 'Birth Emergency Skills Training: manual for out of hospital midwives', by Bonnie U. Gruenberg, CNM, MSN, CRNP.
Avril Bowens officially joined the team in 2019 and co-created the online programs with Andrea. The programs continue to evolve to include new research as it comes available. And, of course, adjustments to the curriculum and flow are constantly being made, based on participant's feedback.
All programs are accredited by MEAC. You can now gain 24 contact hours in a single weekend of Lively workshops and gain or renew your NRP certification as well.
Or, if you prefer at home learning, come take BEST ONLINE (16 hours) or perhaps, you just want to brush up on shoulder dystocia? We offer that too (2.5 hours).
Host a workshop in your CommunityBEST ONLINE ~ Take it anywhere ~ anytime!
When you just can't leave home!
We are proud to announce a new way to access the Birth Emergency Skills Training® workshop! Now you can still learn the BEST materials and skills even when you can't attend a hands-on skills workshop.
Our comprehensive online program provides 16 hours of learning divided into 8 modules. It comes complete with video / audio lectures, video demonstrations, reflective discussions, downloadable PDF's and other resources.
While working through this program, you can interact both with the instructors as well as other participants via the discussion board. When complete, you test your understanding with (2) 25 question quizzes designed to reinforce key understanding.
Advantages of the online program include; 24 hour access from anywhere in the world, ability to review the material as many times as needed or desired, pdf copy of the BEST skills manual along with other useful resources.
Come and learn with us to better serve your community!
BEST ONLINE ONLY is accredited through MEAC for 16 contact hours (1.6 CEUs).
**Bridge Certificate Eligible**
*10 hrs - Maternal Emergency, 3 hrs - Newborn, 3 hrs - Category 3*
(inclusive of: 1 hr - Pharmacology & 2 hrs - Racial Disparity)
BEST LIVE / Hybrid with your own community!
You can not beat hands-on learning!
Participants first complete the online program and then come to a LIVE workshop where we focus on skill practice and development while focusing on individual needs.
We create a relaxed, comfortable and fun learning environment where participants feel safe to truly get their 'hands wet' and practice new skills.
With instructor facilitated skills stations, participants are guided through realistic simulations of birth emergencies and then provided ample opportunity to repeat skills until muscle memory develops.
Participants can also use 'strap on' models to re-create birth emergency scenarios while using newly learned BEST® mnemonics where one participant acts as the birthing person while the other takes the role of the midwife.
Come share the experience and network with other birth workers in your community!
The BEST LIVE / HYBRID is accredited through MEAC for 24 contact hours (2.4 CEUs) and CA-BRN for 24 contact hours (2.4 CEUs) upon request. This accreditation is for both RN's and CNM's.
**Bridge Certificate Eligible**
*12hrs - Maternal Emergency, 3 hrs - Newborn, 9hrs - Category 3*
(inclusive of: 2hrs - Pharmacology & 2hrs - Racial Disparity)
Who says learning Birth Emergency Skills can't be fun!?
Don't leave yourself wondering if your knowledge and skills are up to date!
What will I learn in the BEST Programs?
About the 8 Modules of Learning
About Hands-on Practice
About the Lessons and Format
About Reflective Active Discussions
Who benefits from BEST?
Skill Stations
Join us and learn to quickly and effectively manage birth emergencies!
You will Learn:
* B.E.S.T Concepts, Mnemonics and Algorithms
* Facilitate smooth transfers to the hospital when necessary
* Early recognition of developing problems and how to manage, treat and/or stabilize for transport
* Increase awareness and competence in caring for diverse populations and understanding racial disparities
* Recognize at risk pregnancies
* Root causes and management of intrapartum bleeding with a thorough review of antihemorrhagic medications and other life saving management techniques
* Recognition and management of pregnancy hypertension
* Manage postpartum hemorrhage with confidence and competence by targeting treatment strategies at the root cause
* Manage shoulder dystocia effectively
* Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) review
* Techniques for safe transport of mother presenting with cord prolapse
* Management of shock and stabilization for transport
* Review IV insertion and fluid administration for out of hospital providers
* Practice all these life saving techniques at a live workshop with lifelike models, role play and debriefing.
Are you hungry to keep learning more? Ready to be the BEST possible Midwife you can be?
Birth Emergency Skills Training®
Participant testimonials, shared with permission.
"I drove to the workshop feeling a little silly for even coming b/c I was considering leaving midwifery. I've had two traumatic births in my first year, I'm realizing my apprenticeship didn't prepare me well, my confidence was lacking so much that I couldn't even call myself a midwife easily.
After completing it, I walked away a different midwife. Yes, I am a midwife and I know how to handle scary situations. I am equipped and ready. I think this training probably will become a turning point in my midwifery story.
Thank you for so thoughtfully framing the hands on portion as a place FOR us to learn whatever we need and not just for us to use to check off that we've attended/performed. It really was created to meet our individual needs, whatever they were when we walked in the doors. Thank you, thank you, thank you. May God bless you rich!"
"This workshop was exactly what I needed to overcome some traumatic births."
"I loved that I could tell Andrea exactly what I needed to practice and she led it."
"I really appreciated the accessibility of the online course, as well as the in person portion. Being able to pace myself and take in the online material helped my learning -- I could take breaks as needed and let the material sink in in ways that are difficult when all the material is presented all at once in an in person-only format. It worked really well for me."
"The in depth review we receive in this workshop is need for the safety of our patients and our livelihoods. Your workshops are a blessing!"
“BEST was fantastic, it was hands down the best CEU course I have ever taken in my 25 years of being a Nurse-Midwife”
Meet your BEST Instructors and Online Program Creators!
Andrea Dixon, RN, CNM
Avril Bowens, midwife, BSN-RN, CPM
Avril Bowens is an instructor with Birth Emergency Skills Training® workshop, co-developer of the new online program and has been involved with birth since 1998.
She owned and operated a small home birth midwifery practice, Mountain Home Maternity, in the North Carolina mountains for 15 years where she supported families in having calm and safe births.
She also worked as a hospital based RN while attending the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program at Georgetown University.
Along with partnering with Andrea with BEST, she has developed several online programs to help midwives support their clients with holistic education in nutrition, movement and navigating the inner landscape of a pregnant person in this stressful time of living on the planet.
The Midwife Method brings all aspects of the midwives model of care (that can be delivered online), to educate, support and guide pregnant and birthing folks throughout the childbearing year so they feel informed, confident and empowered, regardless of provider options in their home communities.
~ Education ~ Guidance ~ Support ~ Community ~
Meet the Author 'Birth Emergency Skills Training'
Bonnie U. Gruenberg, CNM, MSN, CRNP, former EMT-P
Bonnie is the author of the award winning book, Birth Emergency Skills Training; Manual for Out-of-Hospital Midwives and co-developer of the workshop by the same name. She has caught more than 2,000 babies to date in the home, in a free-standing birth center, and in the hospital. She currently works for Wellspan Health in Lancaster County, PA.
Bonnie has written and illustrated 12 books on topics ranging from midwifery and maternity care to wild horse management. She is currently completing the second edition of Birth Emergency Skills Training and is developing a eclectic tutorial website at www.HowWeDIDthat.com.
She enjoys painting, photography, film making, and hobby farming and also illustrates her own books.
Don't let the sun set
on your birth emergency skills.
Take a
Birth Emergency Skills Training®
and be
prepared for the unexpected!
When you are well equipped and prepared to handle anything, you can relax and sink into fully supporting the birthing before you.
Contact Us Today!
