By Gil Pound 

I n her 18 years of practicing as a certified nurse midwife, Dr. Denise Cochran (’26) demonstrated excellence in caring for her patients by delivering nearly 2,000 babies into the world. 

A Georgia College & State University School of Nursing faculty member since fall 2024, Cochran is demonstrating excellence in leading classrooms as well. The assistant professor recently received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American College of Nurse-Midwives, a recognition presented to nursing educators who promote high standards of midwifery education and inspire students to excel through outstanding teaching. 

Dr. Monica Ketchie, GCSU nurse midwifery and women’s health nurse practitioner coordinator, nominated Cochran for the honor. 

“Dr. Cochran is dedicated to teaching the next generation of nurse-midwives and undergraduate students the importance of physiologic birth and the normalcy of birth, which are foundational to midwifery care,” said Ketchie, who received the ACNM Excellence in Teaching Award last year. “She is passionate about helping students understand and trust the natural process of birth while developing the knowledge, skills and confidence to support women and families through this important life experience. Her commitment to midwifery philosophy and education makes her an outstanding educator, and I am thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved national recognition.” 

The word midwife means “with woman.” While most often associated with labor and birth, midwives are equipped to guide women on their health journeys throughout their lives. 

“Midwifery truly was the art of taking care of women throughout history until modern obstetrics became popular in the 1900s,” said Cochran, a recent alumna of Georgia College’s doctor of nursing practice program. “A lot of people think midwives are countercultural, but we really are the foundation and are still incredibly valuable for preserving what’s inherent to pregnancy, labor and birth, which is that it’s a normal process for our bodies.” 

Cochran says she grew up knowing she wanted to help people have babies. She honed that passion at Vanderbilt University’s nurse midwifery program and practiced for nearly two decades. Now she’s passing her knowledge and experience on to the next generation. Cochran teaches an undergraduate obstetrics and pediatric course as well as midwifery and women’s health at the graduate level.  

“The first thing I like to do is make sure the students understand the foundation,” Cochran said. “That core knowledge must be there. While you’re teaching that, they are also getting hands-on clinical experience that allows them to put those pieces together. I am a very hands-on teacher. That’s one reason I love simulation.” 

GCSU nursing students can engage in hands-on learning thanks to investment in the College of Health Sciences Simulation and Translational Research Center. The expanded, newly-renovated Sim Center opened last fall, providing students with over 33,000 clinical hours annually. High-fidelity manikin patients feature reactive pupils, chest rise and expansion, heart sounds and more to mimic the real thing. Birthing simulators that show students how to handle normal baby deliveries as well as complications that can arise during labor such as breech, shoulder dystocia and cord prolapse. 

“I don’t think there’s a way to clearly explain how to do certain things through a classroom presentation,” said Cochran. “You have to have models to demonstrate and teach with.” 

Lewis Named ACNM Fellow 

Dr. Cochran wasn’t the only GCSU faculty member to be recognized at the ACNM annual conference recently.  

Dr. Tamsin Lewis, assistant professor of nursing, was named an ACNM Fellow, a title given to midwives whose demonstrated leadership within the organization, clinical excellence, outstanding scholarship and professional achievement have merited special recognition both within and outside the midwifery profession. Fellows serve the ACNM in an advisory and consultatory capacity. With 34 years’ experience in women’s health, Lewis has plenty of knowledge to share.  

“After more than three decades of serving communities, women and families as a certified nurse-midwife, receiving recognition as an American College of Nurse-Midwives Fellow is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” Lewis said. “It represents a lifetime of dedication to nursing and midwifery, a commitment to advancing the profession, and the privilege of mentoring the next generation of nurse-midwives.”

Header Images: Dr. Denise Cochran leads students through hands-on learning experiences at the GCSU Sim Center, including working with lifelike simulation manikins. (Photos: Gil Pound)