Join us as we talk to Angie and Kate, two nurses who became maternal health advocates after surviving their own harrowing birth-related complications. You’ll learn what it’s like to sometimes know too much, how peer support for birth trauma survivors can impact recovery, and what nurses can do to save lives.

Kate McMeekin, WHNP-BC 

Kate McMeekin is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) specializing in OBGYN. After giving birth to her first son at 29 weeks due to preeclampsia with HELLP syndrome, Kate went back to school to become a nurse. She spent several years working in the ED and PACU. During her second pregnancy, she was diagnosed with placenta accreta, requiring a cesarean hysterectomy. This inspired her to become a WHNP, where she cares for women during the prenatal and postpartum period.

Kate’s an active board member of the National Accreta Foundation, a Patient Family Partner with MoMMa’s Voices, and a member of the Colorado MMRC. She’s currently pursuing a post-graduate certification as a psych mental health nurse practitioner to better serve patients with perinatal mental health disorders.

Angela Lee, RN, BSN, C-EFM

Angie Lee is a seasoned nurse with over 16 years of experience. Although she initially started in a medical surgical unit, her passion steered her toward opportunities in women’s and children’s health.

After 1.5 years in the field, Angie embraced the adventure of travel nursing for a year. In 2012, she found her home in labor and delivery at Novant Health-Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. Throughout the years, Angie’s dedication and expertise flourished, leading her to serve as a preceptor and eventually as team lead in 2017.

Angie experienced postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and recognizes the imperative need for enhanced assessments to promptly detect bleeding. As a PPH survivor, her mission has become to ensure all patients receive the quality care they deserve, emphasizing the swift identification of any potential issues.

The post Nurses Turned Advocates: Surviving and Thriving After Birth Trauma appeared first on AWHONN.