Neighborhood Women's Health Watch: partners in community care

A successful program for delivering prenatal care in rural Hawaii incorporated women volunteers from the local community known as the "Neighborhood Women's Health Watch" (NWHW). Knowledgeable about the cultural mores among the various Asian American and Pacific Islander ethnic groups within the community, these respected women established strong collegial relationships with a public health nursing team to assist in various monitoring and care activities designed for pregnant and postpartum women. This article will address recruitment, training, and role functions of the NWHW, including recommendations for the development of similar programs.