In 2000 a group of perinatal managers and educators met and discussed the feasibility of pooling resources to provide programs to meet the needs of entry level perinatal nurses within a large metropolitan community. A perinatal consortium was subsequently formed consisting of educators from five local hospitals. The Northwest Perinatal Resource Network (NW PRN)was established.
The purposes identified by NW PRN are to capitalize on and combine the rich professional and educational resources in the community. Additionally, NW PRN has developed two mainstay programs, founded on AWHONN, ACOG, and community standards to enhance perinatal education and care in the region.
NW PRN programs include core curriculum consortium-style educational offerings in:
The relevance of NW PRN consortium education is in providing Oregon and SW Washington perinatal nurses with quality, evidence-based didactic curriculum to support their clinical practice. The implication is that perinatal patients cared for by nurses educated within this consortium environment receive high level, quality nursing care.
