Innovative strategies for 21st century perinatal nursing education

The birthrate in the United States has been steady for the past few years with childbearing women being older, less likely to be married, better educated, and more likely to be an immigrant than were childbearing women of their mothers' generation. Women giving birth in the United States today are increasingly likely to experience a cesarean birth and/or an induction of labor. These changes in the demographic and experience of childbearing women occur at the same time that the learning style of nursing students is also changing. As a result nurse educators have developed new teaching strategies to prepare students to provide culturally competent and technically sound care, while acting as team members for women having babies in the United States. Techniques such as simulation are discussed as are alternative clinical education placements in community settings.