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University of Colorado College of Nursing

College of Nursing
 

Faculty Profile

Nancy K. Lowe, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN

Professor, Chair for Divsion of Women, Children, and Family Health

Nancy.Lowe@ucdenver.edu

Dr. Lowe is focused on maximizing health and well-being of childbearing women, their newborns, and their families. To maximize positive outcomes and minimize unnecessary costly medical intervention, pregnancy/birth/parenting must be viewed within a holistic, health-promotion framework, a framework that is best constructed by nurse-midwives. Dr. Lowe’s primary research foci are (a) biobehavioral aspects of the childbearing experience and its processes, (b) care during labor, and (c) postpartum outcomes of healthy, nulliparous women. In recent years there has been a spike in interventions during labor and birth for this group of first-time mothers. Despite this high level of intervention--in particular, a high level of cesarean section--there have been no improvements in outcomes for these mothers or newborns. For reasons that remain obscure, healthy first-time mothers are particularly vulnerable to a diagnosis of labor dystocia, the most common indication for cesarean delivery in this population. Dr. Lowe’s research is investigating an acute-stress-and-adiposity biobehavioral model in relationship to uterine dystocia in first-time mothers. Her secondary line of research is an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Nancy Ryan-Wenger (Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH) to develop a field-expedient, self-diagnosis and self-treatment kit for deployed military women with genitourinary infection. Another area of research and scholarship was with Dr. Jeanne-Marie Guise (Oregon Health & Science University) in which the team tested the clinical utility of simulation team training for obstetrical emergencies in hospitals throughout Oregon. Dr. Lowe is the Chair of the Division of Women, Children, & Family Health in the College of Nursing; currently serves on the Board of Directors of the newly formed Nursing Alliance for Quality Care (NAQC); and is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN).

Degree Awarding Institution Field of Study Graduation Date
Certified Nurse-Midwifery ACNM Certification Council, Inc.

Nurse-Midwifery

 1994
Certificate Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing Nurse-Midwifery 1994
PhD University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois		 Nursing Science 1986
MS Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois		 Maternal-Child Nursing 1977
BS Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois		 Nursing 1969
Diploma West Suburban Hospital
College of Nursing
Oak Park, Illinois		 Nursing 1967
Title Organization Year
Outstanding Research Presentation American College of Nurse-Midwives. 2007
Outstanding Research Presentation American College of Nurse-Midwives 2005
Fellow Western Academy of Nurses 2006
Fellow American Academy of Nursing 2003
Fellow American College of Nurse-Midwives 2003
Irwin Chabon Award for Research and Education Lamaze International, Inc. 2002
Academic Leadership Fellow Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Academic Leadership Program. 1998-1999
Faculty Leadership Award The Ohio State University College of Nursing. 1997
Award for Excellence in Research AWHONN District V. 1996
Midwest Nursing Research Society Honor a Researcher Award Childbearing Related Research Section 1996
Outstanding Clinical Research Paper 6th National Meeting of NAACOG 1987
American Nurses' Foundation Scholar American Nurses' Foundation 1986-1987
Graduate Student Poster Award 10th Annual Midwest Nursing Research Society Conference, Omaha, Nebraska. 1986
Health and Human Services National Research Service Predoctoral Fellow 1985-1986
Fellow of the Graduate College University of Illinois at Chicago. 1983-1984
  1. Guise, J-M., Lowe, N.K., Deering, D., Osterweil, P., O’Haire, C., Irwin, L., Blaser, M., Meteer, L., & Kanki, B. (2010) Mobile in-situ obstetric emergency simulation and teamwork training to improve maternal-fetal safety in hospitals.  Joint Commission Journal, in press.
  2. Tanglakmankhong, K., Perrin, N., & Lowe, N. K. (in press). Psychometric testing of the Thai version of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory and the Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire. Journal of Advanced Nursing.
  3. Lowe, N. K. (2010). The landscape of advanced practice nursing. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 39(4), 359-360.
  4. Neal, J. L., Lowe, N. K., Patrick, T. E., & Corwin, E. J. (2010). What is the slowest-yet-normal cervical dilation rate among nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset? Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 39, 361-369.
  5. Lowe, N. K. (2010). What’s a woman to do about the new breast and cervical cancer screening guidelines? Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 39(2), 133-134.
  6. Neal, J. L., Lowe, N. K., Ahijevych, K. L., Ryan-Wenger, N. A., & Corwin, E. J. (2010). Active phase labor length and rate of cervical dilation in nulliparous women: a systematic review. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health,55, 308-318.
  7. Lowe, N. K. (2010). Transforming maternity care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 39(3), 235-237.
  8. Ryan-Wenger, N. A., Neal, J. L., Jones, A., & Lowe, N. K. (2010). Accuracy of vaginal symptom self-diagnosis algorithms for deployed military women. Nursing Research, 49, 2-10.
  9. Lowe, N. K. (2010). Journal update. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 39(1), 1.
  10. Kass-Wolff, J. & Lowe, N. K. (2009). A historical perspective of the women’s health nurse practitioner. Nursing Clinics of North America, 44, 271-280.
  11. Lowe, N. K. (2009). JOGNN’s 2009 Reviewer of the Year. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38(6), 335-336.
  12. Lowe, N.K., Neal, J. L., & Ryan-Wenger, N. M. (2009). Accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of vaginitis compared to a DNA probe laboratory standard. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 113, 89-95.
  13. Lowe, N. K. (2009). Systematic literature reviews. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38(4), 335-336.
  14. Lowe, N. K. (2009) Evidence-based maternity care. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38(3), 253-254.
  15. Hodnett, E. D., Stremler, R., Willan, A. R., Weston, J. A., Lowe, N. K., Simpson, K. R., Fraser, W. D., & Gafni, A. (2008). Does a formalized approach to nursing care in hospital labor assessment units affect birth outcomes? Results of an international randomized controlled trial. BMJ, 337, a1021 doi:10.1136/bjm.a1021. Published online August 28, 2008
  16. Lowe, N. K. (2009). The future of registered nurses in the United States. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38(2), 119.
  17. Lowe, N. K. (2009). The authorities resolve against home birth. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38(1), 1-3.
  18. Guise, J-M., Deering, S. H., Kanki, B. G., Osterweil, P., Mori, M., & Lowe, N. K. (2008). Validation of a tool to measure and promote clinical teamwork. Simulation in Healthcare, 3(4), 217-223.
  19. Lowe, N. K. (2008). Health care reform 2008. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 37(2), 123.
  20. Lowe, N. K. (2008). A bird’s eye view. (Editorial) Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 37(6), 617-618.
  21. Guise, J-M., Osterweil, P., & Lowe, N. K. (2008). Expanding the learning net for patient safety. Nursing for Women’s Health, 12, 208-215.
  22. Lowe, N. K. (2008). The best job! (Editorial) Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 37(4), 123.
  23. Lowe, N. K. (2008). A new look for JOGNN. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 37(1), 1.
  24. Lowe, N. K. (2007). A review of factors associated with dystocia and cesarean section in nulliparous women. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 52, 216-228.
  25. Lowe, N. K. (2007). Stay the course. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 36(6), 521-522.
  26. Lowe, N. K. (2007). Stoplight on poverty. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 36(5), 397.
  27. Lowe, N. K. (2007). Peer (Review) Pressure. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 36(2), 115.
  28. Lowe, N. K. (2007). Highlights of Listening to Mothers II Survey. (Editorial). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 36(1), 1-2.
  • 2010-11 Principal Investigator, “Nulliparity, obesity, and cesarean delivery at University of Colorado 2005-2009.
  • 2008-2011 Co- Principal Investigator, “A Trial to Maximize the Accuracy of Military Women’s GU Infection Self-Diagnoses,” TriService Nursing Research Program. Nancy Ryan-Wenger, RN, PhD, Principal Investigator.
  • 2006-2007 Co-Investigator, "Evaluating the Clinical Impact of Simulation & Team Training on OB Safety." Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 1 U18 HSO16673-01. Jeanne-Marie Guise, MD, MPH, Principal Investigator.
  • 2005-2007 Co-Investigator, "Using Military & Aviation Simulation Experience to Improve Rural Obstetric Safety". Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 1 U18 HS015800-01, Jeanne-Marie Guise, MD, MPH, Principal Investigator.
  • 2002-2006 Co-Investigator, "SELAN – Structure Early Labor Assessment & Care by Nurses", Ellen Hodnett, RN, PhD, Principal Investigator, University of Toronto, Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health Research Unit Canadian Institute of Health Research.
  • 2002-2005 Co-Investigator, "GU Self-Diagnosis for Deployed Military Women", Nancy Ryan-Wenger, CPNP, PhD, Principal Investigator, The Ohio State University. National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health, RO1