Articles by Kirsten Wisner, MS, RNC, CNS : MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing

Secondary Logo

Journal Logo

Advanced Search

Articles by Kirsten Wisner, MS, RNC, CNS

Questioning the 30-minute Rule for Expedited Birth

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 48(5):280, September/October 2023.

Thirty minutes from decision for emergency cesarean birth to the abdominal incision has been a long-held belief as best practice in obstetrics in the United States. A recently published systematic review challenges the “30-minute rule.” Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, evaluates the evidence and recommendations.

Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes in the United States

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 48(3):168, May/June 2023.

Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, explains the findings and implications of the March of Dimes (2022) Report Card: Stark and Unacceptable Disparities Exist Alongside a Troubling Rise in Preterm Birth Rates. Preterm birth rates are rising again and disparities in outcomes continue in the United States.

Monkeypox: A Brief for Perinatal Nurses

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 48(1):48, January/February 2023.

Monkeypox is the latest of a number of viruses that have been spreading in the United States. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, describes the implications of monkeypox for pregnant and postpartum patients.

Use of Race in Maternal–Fetal Medicine Research

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 47(5):294, September/October 2022.

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine published a special statement that urges a critical examination of how race is used in maternal-fetal medicine research. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, summarizes the statement and offers suggestions for application to appraisal of research and practice evidence.

Owning our Professional Practice: Back to Basics

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 47(3):168, May/June 2022.

Perinatal nurses have multiple options to keep up to date about the latest evidence and clinical practice standards and guidelines. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, offers suggestions including becoming a member of our professional organization, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, becoming certified in one or more perinatal nursing or interdisciplinary certification processes through the National Certification Corporation, and establishing a process for routine review of evidence, guidelines, and standards from professional nursing and medical organizations that support perinatal care givers.

Postpartum Pain Management

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 47(1):52, January/February 2022.

Postpartum pain is common and may interfere with a patient's selfcare and infant care. Untreated pain has been associated with postpartum depression, persistent pain, and higher use of opioids. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, provides a summary of a new American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Clinical Consensus guideline on pharmacologic pain management for acute perineal, uterine, and incisional pain in the postpartum period.

Lower Extremity Nerve Injury in Childbirth

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 46(3):176, May/June 2021.

During the childbirth process women are at risk for lower extremity nerve injury. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, reviews the recent practice brief on this topic by the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses.

Partnering with Patients and Families to Prevent Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 46(1):56, January/February 2021.

Approximately 700 women die each year in the United States from pregnancy-related complications. American Indian/Alaska Native and Black women are disproportionately affected and are two to three times more likely to die than White women. Two-thirds of these deaths are likely preventable. Several organizations have developed campaigns to raise awareness about the urgent maternal warning signs; Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, provides an overview.

Structural Competence

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 45(5):308, September/October 2020.

Perinatal nurses can tailor care and supportive strategies by maintaining cultural competence, practicing cultural humility, and probing for structural barriers and risk factors inherent in each patient's unique situation. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, explains how to integrate these concepts in clinical practice.

Measuring Blood Loss in Obstetric Hemorrhage

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 45(3):184, May/June 2020.

Obstetric hemorrhage is a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States. Many of these deaths are preventable. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, reviews quantification of blood loss for all women after birth, based on recommendations from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

The Zika Virus and Childbearing Women

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 45(1):59, January/February 2020.

Guidelines on the Zika virus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have been updated with recommendations for prevention, screening, and monitoring. Our maternity nursing expert Dr. Wisner presents an overview.

Sexual Assault: What do Perinatal Nurses Need to Know?

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 44(5):296, September/October 2019.

Many women in the United States have experienced sexual violence. In a recent survey, nearly half of women have reported some type of contact sexual violence in their lifetime, and approximately one in five women reported an attempted or completed rape. Our maternity nursing expert, Dr. Wisner, offers advice on how to support women who have experienced sexual assault using trauma-informed care.

Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 44(3):170, May/June 2019.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy continue to be a major contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. A summary of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists updated guidelines for diagnosis and management of these disorders is presented by our maternity nursing expert Kirsten Wisner.

Intrapartum Management of Women With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 44(1):52, January/February 2019.

New guidelines for caring for women during labor and birth who are infected with HIV have been published. Our maternity nursing expert, Kirsten Wisner, offers a summary of the clinical implications for perinatal nurses.

Gender Identity: A Brief for Perinatal Nurses

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 43(5):291, September/October 2018.

A growing number of individuals consider themselves gender nonbinary or gender nonconforming, defined as not identifying with a particular gender. This is especially true among our youth. It is important that clinicians understand related terminology and how to provide culturally competent care to this population. Our maternity nursing expert, Kirsten Wisner, offers insight on gender identity terminology and resources for appropriate care.

Safety Bundle for Severe Hypertension During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 43(3):171, May/June 2018.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Our maternity nursing expert, Kirsten Wisner, highlights the new patient safety bundle on severe hypertension during pregnancy and postpartum released by the National Partnership for Maternal Safety in 2017.

Intrapartum Management of Chorioamnionitis

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 43(1):52, January/February 2018.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a new committee opinion on intrapartum management of intraamniotic infection. Our maternity nursing expert, Kirsten Wisner, covers details of the recommendations for clinical practice.

Screening and Response to Maternal Mental Health Problems

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 42(5):295, September/October 2017.

Our maternity nursing expert, Kirsten Wisner, provides details about the new consensus bundle on maternal mental health from the Council on Patient Safety in Women's Health Care.

Screening for Tobacco and Nicotine Use in Pregnancy

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 42(3):179, May/June 2017.

Nearly 10 percent of women in the United States report smoking at one time during their pregnancy. Screening for tobacco and nicotine use during pregnancy is important to identify women who need help with smoking cessation. Various types of tobacco and nicotine products are discussed to familiarize nurses with new products that women should be asked about during pregnancy in addition to cigarettes. Smoking cessation toolkits and resources for clinicians are presented.

Protecting Newborns from Pertussis

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 42(1):56, January/February 2017.

Pertussis in newborns is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. Perinatal nurses can play an important role by encouraging pregnant women to get the vaccine at designated intervals recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Antenatal Corticosteroids in the Late Preterm Period

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 41(5):308, September/October 2016.

Results of a recent multicenter randomized clinical trial found less respiratory morbidity among newborns when their mothers who were at risk for preterm birth from 34 weeks and 0 days up to 36 weeks and 5 days gestation were given antenatal betamethasone. Therefore the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine now recommends that women at risk for late preterm birth be given antenatal steroids using a suggested protocol for dosing, appropriate candidates, and gestational dating criteria to reduce respiratory morbidity among late preterm babies.

Gentle Cesarean Birth

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 41(3):186, May/June 2016.

What can be done during cesarean birth to promote the birth aspect of the procedure while keeping the surgical safety processes in place to protect mother and baby? Our maternity nursing expert explains this trend in care during childbirth.

Standards-Based Determination of the Estimated Due Date

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 41(1):58, January/February 2016.

Accurate pregnancy dating is important in promoting the best outcomes. New recommendations on determining the estimated due date have been published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) (2014) and are explained by our maternity nursing expert.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in Group B Streptococcus-Positive, Penicillin-Allergic Women

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 40(5):327, September/October 2015.

Compliance with some important aspects of the CDC guidelines for prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal disease regarding antimicrobial susceptibility testing in penicillin-allergic women remains unacceptably low. Lack of adherence to some of the details increases risk of harm to newborn babies. Our maternity nursing expert has prepared a brief overview.

Intermittent Auscultation in Low-Risk Labor

Wisner, Kirsten

MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 40(1):58, January/February 2015.

Our new columnist on hot topics in maternity nursing provides information on how to use intermittent auscultation (IA) and encourages you to consider asking for an order for IA, if one does not exist, when caring for women at low risk for complications during labor.
Show: