Dr. Elizabeth DuRant
The Gift of Life Through the Eyes of a Nurse Midwife
story by ERIN WALLACE photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
The gift of life has always been the light in the darkness, no matter the time. Babies are a miracle from God. It is why they are cooed over and not taken for granted. There are individuals who guide precious life into the world, and they deserve far more recognition than we often give them; their names are nurse midwives. Midwifery is experiencing a resurgence in the 21st century, especially in the younger generations of expectant mothers desiring a more personal experience. Our very own Beaufort hosts one of these nurse midwives, who has brought over 636 babies into this world since moving to Beaufort.
If you haven’t heard of this exceedingly talented and dedicated woman within the medical world, you definitely won’t forget her now. Her name is Dr. Elizabeth DuRant. She assists with births at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Not only is Dr. DuRant a certified nurse midwife (CNM) and a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (WHNP-BC), but she also has a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Dr. DuRant grew up in Sumter, SC, with her six siblings and is number three out of the seven kids. She then stayed there until the 11th grade when her dad got a new job offer in Georgia. The family moved, she finished high school in GA, and then she continued to West Georgia College and Emory University, where she completed her undergraduate degree.
A job opportunity presented itself after she received her master’s at West Virginia University where she happened to be working as an associate nursing professor. Impressively, she was also completing her doctorate in nursing practice at the same time. Dr. DuRant thoroughly enjoys the world of academia, and before coming to Beaufort, she taught as a professor for ten years. Highly educated, her college journey was a combination of eleven years: five years of undergrad and six years of graduate work. After a long search for a midwife position, she found work here in our very own Beaufort. Dr. DuRant’s job as a nurse midwife and her lifelong friendships have anchored her here for the last eleven years.
A nurse midwife is a nurse with graduate training. One cannot be a nurse midwife or a nurse practitioner without a master’s degree. Most midwives are nurse midwives, but there are also certified midwives who go through vigorous training to specialize in their field but aren’t nurses. Moreover, there are midwives out there who do home delivery (one has to be certified to do a home delivery), but overall, Dr. DuRant prefers delivery in the hospital setting. Dr. DuRant communicated, “I really try hard to make it as noninterventional as the patient requests.” How encouraging that this option even exists within the hospital setting that tends more toward intervention. Additionally, a nurse midwife and an OB doctor follow the same guidelines for the safety of care recommended through the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and midwives also follow the guidelines established by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). Dr. DuRant is quick to say that the difference between nurse midwives and OB doctors is more than nursing and medicine.
When nurse midwives begin to plan with a patient, the approach takes the form of a mutual patient-nurse decision. Dr. DuRant begins every patient relationship by offering her patients guidance in the multitude of choices they have to make. In other words, Dr. DuRant focuses on giving back control to her patients, who should be in charge of their bodies and babies in the first place. Every patient works out a different plan based on their nine months. While the mom is steering the pregnancy ship, Dr. DuRant offers guidance throughout the pregnancy. At the end of pregnancy, Dr. DuRant always comes back to this question: “Is the baby better on the inside or outside when her moms get toward the end of pregnancy?”
Even if Dr. DuRant’s patients cannot have their preferred delivery based on a matter of urgency, she has a great team of obstetricians for support. The result is that the patients have a voice in the decision-making process. Dr. DuRant recalled one of her patients who had to have a C-section, and though it was not her first choice, the patient was grateful that she was still part of the decision. This is a perfect example of how Dr. DuRant has helped hundreds of women on their journey to delivery right here in Beaufort. She has given them something even more powerful and lasting instead: their voice through the whole process. Overall, it is a different approach with the same outcome and a gratifying job for nurse midwives everywhere.
Dr. DuRant is a devoted woman. Empowerment is the heart of nurse midwifery, and it is apparent that she empowers her patients. She chuckled and stated, “I have heard that term ‘empower’ a time or two in nursing school.”
Today, one common misconception is that nurse midwives perform the same responsibilities as nurses in the delivery room. Decision-making is what separates both needed roles. A nurse midwife is the one who makes those necessary, patient-informed, and sometimes fast-paced calls in the room. A bedside nurse gets his or her orders from whomever the providers are, whether it be a midwife or doctor. Though bedside nurses make decisions constantly, and handle labor and delivery excellently as they are trained, they don’t have the authority of nurse midwives, who can order medications and be in charge of the delivery. Additionally, a nurse midwife is on call and not on shifts like a nurse.
Dr. DuRant provides many services as a nurse midwife. Regarding OB services, she can aid with pregnancy management, delivery and postpartum care, and contraceptive options (everything from IUDs to prescribing birth control pills). Concerning GYN services, she can provide biopsies, both endometrial and skin, colposcopies for abnormal pap smears, and menopause care.
When she does retire, Dr. DuRant sees herself continuing to teach as a clinical instructor for undergraduate students at one of the nearby nursing schools. She jokingly added, “Who knows, I might just retire and do nothing!” Though I gather, for a woman like Dr. DuRant, her definition of “nothing” would probably look like a full-time job.
Midwifery is not as popular yet in the South as it is in the New England area and out West. In Beaufort, Dr. DuRant is only one of two practicing nurse midwives, and a third is coming soon. However, in this area, two types of patients seek out Dr. DuRant for the midwife experience. The first type of patients are led to her nurse midwifery practice through word of mouth, and the other kind of patients are the ones who are specifically wanting a midwife based on the research they’ve done. One multiplying joy for Dr. DuRant is when she can assist in more than one delivery in a family. Dr. DuRant truly loves these relationships with her patients. She even keeps up with a patient she helped deliver 11 years ago!
If I had to sum up nurse midwifery in one word, it would be relationship. Dr. DuRant shows up for women time and time again. The relationship with her patients begins with an open dialogue about their hopes and dreams for the delivery, and then blossoms into mutual trust and lifelong connections. It is no small task to bring a little life into this world, and Dr. DuRant takes this role with a badge of honor and humility. She genuinely is the patients’ most vocal advocate while making sure the women are advocating for themselves the most. To reach Dr. DuRant, please call the Port Royal clinic and make an appointment, specifically asking for her.
Thank you, Dr. DuRant, for assisting in the miracle of 636 babies and for your many dedicated years of service to our community.
