Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

History

AWHONN became a separate and independent organization in 1993. Correct use of its staffing guidelines can make staffing as safe as possible, allowing for quality care and more bedside time. The experience and skill mix of nurses on labor and delivery units is critical.

For induced labor or unmedicated birth plans, one nurse should care for one patient. Two nurses should attend every birth, one for the mother and one for the baby. On postpartum or mother-baby units, the ratio is one nurse for every three to four stable couplets.

Activities

AWHONN publishes Standards for Professional Nursing Practice in the Care of Women and Newborns, which define roles, functions, and competencies for nurses. It also issues multiple evidence-based nursing guidelines covering topics such as fetal heart rate monitoring, labor induction, neonatal skin care, care of the late preterm infant, breastfeeding, HPV counseling, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, nursing staffing, and care of the patient in the second stage of labor.

The organization works with federal, state, and local governments to advocate for women and newborn health and educates nurses on legislative involvement. Its professional journals include the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN) and Nursing for Women's Health.

Consumer publications and websites include Healthy Mom & Baby and Health4mom.org. AWHONN collaborates with organizations such as the March of Dimes, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Coalition for Patients' Rights, Partnership to End Cervical Cancer, Americans for Nursing Shortage Relief (ANSR) Alliance, American Heart Association (Go Red for Women Campaign), and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (The Heart Truth Campaign). It awards small research grants to members conducting research consistent with its mission.