- Associate Professor Emerita
- College of Nursing
- Email: debeo@uri.edu
- Office Location: RI NEC Room 223, 350 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02905
Biography
Very early in her nursing career, Dr. Erickson-Owens realized she had two passions. The first was caring for mothers and babies and the other was educating nurses. She has managed to keep both these passions alive. During her 20-year career as a military officer, she worked exclusively in maternity care. Her roles were varied-staff nursing, flight nursing, nurse administration and advanced practice as a nurse-midwife. She was the director of the US Air Force (USAF) Nurse-Midwifery program in conjunction with Georgetown University and served as the midwifery consultant to the USAF Surgeon General.
After retiring from the USAF, she joined the URI Nurse-Midwifery faculty and served as its director from 2004-2005. In collaboration with Dr. Judith Mercer, she was a Principal Investigator of an NIH-funded project examining the effects of placental transfusion (delayed cord clamping) on early brain development conducted at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, RI. She has published and presented this research nationally and internationally.
Dr. Erickson-Owens is a nationally certified nurse educator (CNE) and has received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American College of Nurse Midwives four times between 2000 and 2006. Her contribution to the profession earned her Fellow status in the American College of Nurse Midwives (FACNM) and the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). She is a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Honor Society of Nursing Sigma Theta Tau International, Eastern Nursing Research Society, the American Nurses Association, and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses.
Research
Maternal-child health; evidence-based care practices; birth practices such as the management of the umbilical cord in term and preterm infants
Education
PhD, Nursing, University of Rhode Island
MS, Nursing, University of Utah
BSN, Nursing, Boston University
Selected Publications
Refereed Journal Articles:
Mercer, J. S., Erickson-Owens, D. A., Deoni, S., Tucker, R., Parker, A. B., Joelson, S., Mercer, E. N., Dean, D. III., Collins, J., & Padbury, J. F. (in press). The effects of delayed cord clamping on 12-month brain myelin content and neurodevelopment: A randomized controlled trial. Am J Perinatol.
Mercer, J. & Erickson-Owens, D. (in press). ACNM statement for mothers on delayed cord clamping. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health.
Basley S. A., Erickson-Owen, D., McGrane, C., Palmer, M., Cloud, M. E., & Dugas, J. R. (In press). Passing the CNE exam: Innovative strategies. Nursing Education Perspectives.
Leslie, M., Erickson-Owens, D., & Park, J. (2020). Umbilical cord practices of members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health. https://doi.org:10.1111/jmwh.13071
Hensman A. M., Erickson-Owens, D. A., Sullivan, M. C., & Quilliam, B. J. (2020). Determinants of neonatal readmission in healthy term infants: Results from a nested case-control study. Am J Perinatol. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org:10.1055/s-0040-1702936
Wen, X., Belviso, N., Lebeau, R., Bratberg, J., Cotton, B., Ward, K., Erickson-Owens, D., & Kogut, S. (2019). Prescription opioid use among pregnant women enrolled in Rhode Island Medicaid. RI Med J, 102(6), 35-40.
Mercer, J., Erickson-Owens, D., Deoni, D., Dean, D., Collins, J., Parker, A., Wang, M., Joelson, S., Mercer, E., & Padbury, J. (2018). Effects of delayed cord clamping on four-month ferritin levels, brain myelin content and neurodevelopment: A randomized controlled trial. J Pediatr, 23, 266-72.
Erickson-Owens, D., Mercer J., & Wang, M. (2018). The effects of placental transfusion on 12-month brain myelin volume in healthy term infants: A RCT. JMWH, 63, 623-624.
Mercer, J., Erickson-Owens, D., Vohr, B., Tucker, R., Parker, A., & Oh, W. (2017). Effects of five-minute delay in cord clamping on placental residual blood volume, two-day hemoglobin and serum bilirubin levels in term infants: A randomized controlled trial. J Perinatol, 37, 260-264.
Mercer, J., Erickson-Owens, D., Vohr, B., Tucker, R., Parker, A., Oh, W., & Padbury, J. (2016). Effects of placental transfusion on neonatal and 18 month outcomes in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial. J Pediatr, 168, 50-55, 55e.1.
Leslie, M., Erickson-Owens, D., & Cseh, M. (2015). Is it the evidence? The evolution of individual maternity care providers to delayed cord clamping. J Midwifery and Women’s Health, 60, 561-569.
Mercer, J. & Erickson-Owens, D. (2014). Is it time to rethink cord management when resuscitation is needed? J Mid & Wom Health, 59, 635-644. http://doi.org:10.1111/jmwh.12206.
Mercer, J. & Erickson-Owens, D. (2012). Re-Thinking placental transfusion and cord clamping issues. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 26, 202-217.
Erickson-Owens, D., Mercer, J., & Oh, W. (2012). Umbilical cord milking in term infants delivered by Cesarean Section: a randomized controlled trial. J Perinatology, 32, 580-584.
Mercer, J. S., Vohr, B. R., Erickson-Owens, D. A., Padbury, J. F., & Oh, W. (2009). Seven-month developmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of delayed versus immediate cord clamping. J Perinatology, 30, 11-16.
Mercer, J., Erickson-Owens, D., & Skovgaard, R. (2009). Cardiac asystole at birth: Is hypovolemic shock the cause? Medical Hypotheses, 72, 458-463.
Ferszt, G. & Erickson-Owens D. (2008). Development of an educational/support group for pregnant women in prison. J Forensic Nursing, 4, 55-60.
Mercer, J., Erickson-Owens, D., Graves, B., & Haley, M.M. (2007). Evidence-based practices for the fetal to neonatal transition. J Midwifery and Women’s Health, 52, 262-272.
Kennedy, H.P., Erickson-Owens, D., & Davis, J.P. (2006). Voices of diversity in midwifery: A qualitative research study. J Midwifery and Women’s Health, 51, 85-90.
Erickson-Owens, D.A. & Kennedy, H.P. (2001). Fostering evidence-based care in clinical teaching. J Midwifery & Women’s Health, 46, 137-145.
Book Chapters:
Erickson-Owens, D. & Mercer, J. (2019). Umbilical cord clamping at birth. In T. King, M. Brucker, K. Osborne, & C. Jevitt, C. (Eds.), Varney’s midwifery (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Katheria, A., Erickson-Owens, D., & Mercer, J. (2019). Delayed cord clamping and cord milking. In M. D. MacDonald, J. Ramaseth, & R.-B. Khodayer (Eds.), MacDonald’s atlas of procedures in neonatology (6th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Mercer, J. & Erickson-Owens, D. (2010). Evidence for neonatal transition and the first hour of life. In D. Walsh & S. Downe (Eds.), Essential midwifery practice: Intrapartum Care. Wiley-Blackwell.
Erickson-Owens, D. & Mercer, J. (2010). Labor support. In S.G. Shields & S.G Candib (Eds.), Women-centered care in pregnancy and childbirth. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.
Mercer, J. & Erickson-Owens, D. (2008). The midwifery view of shoulder dystocia. In J. A. O’Leary (Ed.), Shoulder dystocia and birth injury (3rd ed.). Humana Press.
Mercer, J., Skovgaard, R., & Erickson-Owens, D. (2008). Fetal to neonatal transition: First, do no harm. In S. Downe (Ed.), Normal childbirth: Evidence and debate (2nd ed.). Elsevier Limited.
Position Statements:
Cox, K., Meilke, R., & Erickson-Owens, D. (2014). ACNM Position Statement: Delayed umbilical cord clamping. Washington DC: American College of Nurse-Midwives.