Nurses Turned Advocates: Surviving and Thriving After Birth Trauma

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.

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.