Beyond the Hospital Walls: Advancing EMS Practice in Maternal Care
Beyond the Hospital Walls: Advancing EMS Practice in Maternal Care
As maternal care deserts expand across the U.S., EMS professionals are increasingly called upon to
manage out-of-hospital births — often with limited training and resources. This webinar brings
together the expertise of maternal health experts to explore how EMS can rise to meet this challenge.
Join us for a dynamic, hour-long session that covers:
- The growing impact of maternal care deserts on EMS response
- Gaps in current obstetric education and practical field solutions
- Misconceptions and fears surrounding out-of-hospital births
- Contextualized training approaches
Whether you're an EMS educator or an experienced paramedic, this session will provide
actionable insights to elevate your maternal care response and prepare your teams for the realities
of birth beyond the hospital walls.
Guest Speakers
Melissa Lawlor, CNM, FNP, EMT
Midwives Untethered
Melissa Lawlor, an innovative and passionate leader in the fire/EMS community, serving as the Deputy Coordinator for First Responder Health and Wellness in Dutchess County. With a remarkable 30-year tenure as a volunteer in the Fire/EMS realm, Melissa also serves as a Pleasant Valley Fire Commissioner specialized EMS Liaison. She seamlessly integrates her expertise in Fire/EMS, Midwifery, and Family Practice Medicine. Melissa is a trailblazer in EMS continuing education, developing cutting-edge CME sessions that incorporate evidence-based practices. Her work spans OB/GYN, Newborn, Pediatrics, and Firefighter/EMS Health and Wellness, addressing unique health challenges faced by women in fire.
Elizabeth Travis, DHSc, NRP
Laerdal Medical
Dr. Elizabeth H. Travis, DHSc, NRP, MBA, is a paramedic, educator, and healthcare leader advancing maternal care in prehospital settings. Her doctoral research focused on improving outcomes in maternal care deserts through midwife-style paramedic training. A former Lieutenant Paramedic and EMS educator, she has trained clinicians in high-performance CPR, maternal/postnatal care, and stress management. Her work has been featured in The JEMS Report and presented at EMS conferences. Dr. Travis serves on EMS nonprofit boards and continues to practice and speak nationally on maternal health and emergency care, driving scalable, data-informed solutions to strengthen community and maternal health.