“Dr. Palacios is a national leader in birth equity and an excellent clinician and educator of obstetrics-gynecologist residents,” said Neet Arant, PhD, CNM, MS, Certified Nurse Midwife.
Janelle Palacios, PhD, CNM, MSN, RN, is a Certified Nurse Midwife at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, a nurse researcher, and a 13-year Kaiser Permanente employee.
Inspiration for Nursing
“In my home community, the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, I witnessed family members and friends become parents at a young age because of circumstances, limited life opportunities, and oppression inherited from intergenerational trauma. I saw the need to care for families holistically and found nurse midwifery, research, and health policy advocacy to be the path to promote healing and wellness,” said Palacios.
“My nursing colleagues inspire me with their passion for supporting families during childbirth and beyond. Supporting families during a pivotal time is not limited to the moments of care but includes the work leading to those care moments my treasured colleagues participate in, such as reviewing internal data and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration,” said Palacios.
Leading with Purpose
“Janelle’s leadership style is not about individual achievements but our team’s collective strength. She believes in framing her work with the words ‘we’ and ‘us,’ ensuring inclusivity and shared responsibility, said Arant.
Palacios is deeply committed to improving maternal and child health outcomes in Kaiser Permanente’s Oakland Medical Center and all hospitals nationwide.
“She regularly engages with high-level government officials, sharing her insights on the experiences of American Indian women in the birthing and women’s health space, plus discussing how to enhance maternal health outcomes for all families,” said Arant.
Delivering Care Excellence
Palacios is the East Bay’s chair of the supporting vaginal birth team, a team dedicated to improving vaginal delivery rates at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center to align with California’s standards.
“Since becoming chair, the team has implemented multidisciplinary unit culture changes, such as team rounding, warm hand-off meetings with patients and their care team, and messaging campaigns embracing increased nursing skills,” said Arant.
As a researcher, Palacios mentors obstetrician-gynecologist residents, assisting them in conducting research studies and submitting them for internal review and is currently the primary investigator of the nation’s largest study evaluating morphine rest in early labor.
Her role as a nurse midwife influences Janelle’s perspective on labor management. She considers the whole person in relation to their labor status and the baby to identify interventions for optimal delivery outcomes and experiences.
“I am honored to be a nurse midwife clinician, educator, and researcher in an environment that embraces and allows me to flourish. I am thankful for my colleagues in the Labor and Delivery Unit at Kaiser Permanente,” declared Palacios.