Universal Health Care for the United States: A Primer for Health Care Providers.

The United States is one of a very few high-income countries that does not guarantee every person the right to health care. Residents of the United States pay more out-of-pocket for increasingly worse outcomes. People of color, those who have lower incomes, and those who live in rural areas have less access to health care and are therefore at even greater risk for poor health.

Health Implications and Counseling Considerations for Individuals With Piercings and Tattoos.

Body art has become common and mainstream. Tattoos and body piercings represent highly individual expressions of identity and personal values. Health care services are enhanced when clinicians understand the anatomy and physiology, common discomforts, and real but rare serious risks of body modification and are prepared to provide compassionate support for individuals' choices.

Maneuvering Through a Birth Complicated by Shoulder Dystocia.

Shoulder dystocia is an unpredictable intrapartum emergency with potentially devastating consequences. In this article, the etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management of shoulder dystocia are reviewed; institutional readiness and potential legal implications are discussed. Also considered are posttraumatic stress disorder and secondary traumatic stress, adverse psychological consequences that may be experienced by women, midwives, and other intrapartum care providers, including staff.

How to Run for Political Office: A Primer for Midwives and Other Nontraditional Candidates.

Service in public office is a laudatory civic activity, and nontraditional candidates such as midwives have much to offer in this role. Newcomers to the political process benefit from basic information about how to run a campaign, raise money, utilize effective messaging, deal with political attacks, and seek endorsements and other campaign support. Midwives encounter ethical and legal implications specific to their position of trust as health care providers.

Women and Tattoos: Fashion, Meaning, and Implications for Health.

Tattooing is a type of body modification that is both ancient and modern. Tattooing is rapidly increasing in popularity and prevalence, especially among younger people. Therefore, health care providers require knowledge about this form of artistic expression, including potential health implications and psychosocial significance.

Body Piercing: Motivations and Implications for Health.

Body piercing has evolved from a behavior once considered extreme to an accepted choice among the general population. Earlobe piercing is so common that it is now considered a normative behavior. The motivations for choosing body piercing have changed and are associated with piercing site and number of piercings chosen by the individual.

Midwifing the End of Life: Expanding the Scope of Modern Midwifery Practice to Reclaim Palliative Care.

Historically, midwives held an important role in society as cradle-to-grave practitioners who eased individuals, families, and communities through difficult transitions across the life span. In the United States, during the first half of the 20th century, physicians assumed care for people during birth and death, moving these elements of the human experience from homes into the hospital setting. These changes in practice resulted in a dehumanization of birth and death experiences and led to detachment from what it means to be human among members of society.

Innovation in Health Policy Education: Project-Based Service Learning at a Distance for Graduate Midwifery Students.

Core competencies for midwifery practice include an understanding of systems of health care delivery and advocacy for legislation and policy initiatives that promote quality in health care. Today's rapidly changing health care environment, due in part to the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, mandates that midwives possess greater literacy in health policy and comfort with political action than ever before. Frequently disinterested in politics and intimidated by the policymaking process, student midwives lack the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to meet this professional obligation.