DCIU Practical Nursing Program Leads Maternal Health Education as Statewide Awareness Day Is Recognized

A new Pennsylvania awareness holiday announced on January 23 reflects work that has long been underway at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) Practical Nursing Program, where maternal health education is a core part of the curriculum. Governor Josh Shapiro's proclamation designating January 23 as Maternal Health Awareness Day brings renewed attention to the need for healthcare professionals who are prepared to support mothers before, during and after pregnancy.

In Pennsylvania, the maternal mortality rate is 17.5 deaths per 100,000 births, with Black women facing two to three times higher risk than other populations. Nearly 52 percent of pregnancy-related deaths occur postpartum, with mental health conditions among the leading causes. At DCIU, these realities reinforce the program’s longstanding focus on maternal and newborn care.

“Maternal Health Awareness Day validates what our faculty have long understood, that preparing nurses to support mothers across pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period is essential to improving outcomes,” said Program Supervisor Stacy Delaney, MSN-ED, RN.

Unlike many states, Pennsylvania offers licensed practical nurses (LPNs) a distinct role in maternal care. LPNs in Pennsylvania may actively participate in labor and delivery settings, allowing them to support patients during childbirth and play a hands-on role in maternal and newborn care. Delaney said that responsibility makes comprehensive education and real-world training especially critical.

“Our graduates enter the workforce with the skills, judgment and confidence needed to support mothers during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives,” Delaney said.

The rigorous 12-month Practical Nursing Program prepares students for entry into the LPN profession through classroom instruction, clinical experience and hands-on training. In the obstetrics nursing course, students are guided by experienced instructors Shay Washington and Brianna Vettese, whose combined clinical and academic backgrounds shape a comprehensive, real-world approach to maternal health education.

Washington’s career began in homecare with Preferred Home Health before she spent several years as an OB-GYN nurse at Jefferson and Penn Medicine. She later managed prenatal and pediatric patients as a reproductive child health care manager at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center and served as a mom and baby home health nurse with Mercy Home Health. Today, she leads a team of mom and baby home health nurses as a nurse supervisor for Family Connects Philadelphia.

Drawing from her work across homecare, hospital settings and community-based maternal health programs, Washington prepares students for the realities of caring for mothers beyond traditional clinical environments. In addition to classroom instruction, she connects students with community-based experiences, including public health events and outreach efforts that reflect where many maternal health challenges occur.

“When there are Black Maternal Health Week events and community baby showers going on, I try to bring students to those events as a clinical opportunity so that they can see what maternal child health nursing looks like in real time,” Washington said. “It is not always in a hospital or in an office. It is sometimes out in the community where the greatest impact can be made.”

Washington also emphasizes the importance of recognizing maternal mental health concerns that may not always appear on screening tools. Early in her career, she supported a patient experiencing severe perinatal mood disorders who had been labeled as difficult and avoided by others in the practice. By looking beyond behavior and taking time to listen, Washington built trust with the patient and continued to support her through multiple pregnancies and years of care. The experience continues to shape how she prepares students to support postpartum patients, particularly those struggling emotionally.

“You might have somebody saying no to things like depression, but is still showing signs of distress. It is another way to gather subjective data and be direct and upfront about what they are struggling with,” said Washington.

Working alongside Washington is Vettese, who has taught obstetrics at the Practical Nursing Program since 2022. Vettese, an RN who holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and is working toward a master’s degree in nursing from West Chester University, helps students build confidence through a combination of lectures, clinical experiences and simulation lab training.

Following the program’s recent move into a new building, the simulation lab was upgraded with Laerdal mannequins that replicate childbirth scenarios, providing students with a highly realistic learning environment.

“Students are taught to recognize normal versus abnormal maternal and newborn findings, with a strong emphasis on early identification of complications such as hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage, infection and gestational diabetes,” Vettese said. “Through skills lab practice and simulation, learners develop hands-on competence before entering clinical settings.”

Both educators said the recognition of Maternal Health Awareness Day affirms work that has long been underway inside the Practical Nursing Program and across Pennsylvania.

“It made me happy to see because I have been a nurse for nine years, and for a long time, the data showed there was a crisis,” Washington said. “Now we have our own day in the state to bring awareness to these problems while uplifting the people and organizations working toward solutions.”

Through hands-on training, simulation labs and community-based learning, DCIU Practical Nursing Program students are prepared to support mothers across the pregnancy spectrum, recognize warning signs, respond to complications and advocate for patients in complex maternal health situations.

About the DCIU Practical Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing Program offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes classroom instruction, simulation labs and clinical experiences, with training in maternal health alongside medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, pharmacology and other core areas of practice. Students train in clinical facilities and simulation labs across Delaware County and Philadelphia under the guidance of experienced nursing faculty. Graduates are prepared to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses and to enter the workforce providing essential patient care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, private homes and school settings. Since 2025, the program has achieved a 100 percent job placement rate for its graduates.

For more information about the Practical Nursing Program, there will be a Zoom Open House on Tuesday, April 7, at 5 p.m. Visit www.facebook.org/delcotechlpn for updates, and to learn more about the program or begin the enrollment process, visit www.dciu.org/lpn.