DNP, CNM, RN

I am currently a staff midwife at Connecticut Childbirth and Women’s Center, an AABC accredited free-standing birth center in Danbury, Connecticut. I also have medical staff privileges and attend births at Danbury Hospital.

Jennifer Aiken shares her experience as an Online DNP-NM student below:

What was the biggest win during the program?

My biggest win was completing my clinical rotations. Due to the pandemic, many offices and hospitals were unable to take students, and I was worried I would not graduate on time. I ended up traveling from Florida to Fort Worth, Texas and Newport News, Virginia to attend my clinical rotations. I had the privilege of working in a wide variety of settings including a Maternal Fetal Medicine office, a Level IV Academic Hospital, and two free-standing birth centers.

How did Baylor prepare you for your current role?

The breadth of experiences during my clinical rotations at Baylor did an excellent job preparing me for my current role. As a birth center midwife with hospital privileges, I must be able to promote low-risk physiologic birth, while being equally equipped to recognize when a pregnancy or situation becomes high-risk. My Baylor courses and clinical rotation in high-risk management set me apart as a new graduate midwife.

What makes Baylor nurses unique in the healthcare world?

One of the things that drew me to Baylor was the emphasis on service to others and mission work. Baylor nurses are truly passionate about giving back to their community and making changes in the nursing profession through their service.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give a potential DNP student?

Always come to class and clinical experiences prepared and ready to learn.

Was your degree worth your investment? Why?

Yes, it was. I was able to quickly find a job I love after graduation and my degree will continue to be valuable as I begin the process of becoming a midwifery professor in the future.