Ngozi Mbibi, DNP, RNC-OB, of The Mother Baby Center at Abbott Northwestern and Children’s – Minneapolis will be inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing during its annual policy conference Saturday in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Ngozi! To continue the recognition, we asked her some questions about her career and work at The Mother Baby Center.
What is your role at The Mother Baby Center? How long have you worked in that field?
I am an obstetric certified registered nurse/clinical faculty at The Mother Baby Center of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. I have worked with mothers and babies for 37 years following my midwifery licensure from Nigeria in 1978. I worked as a nurse midwife, nurse educator, nurse consultant, and clinical service resource trainer for 24 years before relocating to the U.S. in 2001. I earned a master’s degree in nursing health care leadership and nursing education from Bethel University in 2012 (I received the Dee and Gordon Sprenger Education Scholarship by the Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation) and then doctor of nursing practice (DNP) in 2014 from the University of Minnesota (I received the Sandra R. Edwardson Award for Excellence).
What does the Academy fellow honor mean to you?
To be honored as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing — the highest honor an American nurse can receive — is completely humbling. This honor and my induction as a fellow of the West African College of Nursing in July, instill in me a sense of renewed dedication to my chosen profession. I am inspired to further my efforts to improve nursing for Nigerian nurses in Nigeria and wherever they may be. I am deeply committed to caring for mothers and babies and improving their health here at home and throughout the world.
What’s the best part about working at The Mother Baby Center?
Working at the Mother Baby Center helps fulfill my desire to care for families at this most vulnerable time — when they are healthy or sick, when they need a helping hand or a listening ear. It is a joy to work with colleagues who are ever willing and ready to assist each other and a leadership that encourages and recognizes staff input.
What’s your favorite activity outside of work?
Outside of work, I volunteer and plan medical/education missions in underserved communities nationally and internationally. I am involved in education and mentoring of nurses especially in developing countries where the need is great. I work with and I am the current vice president of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA), an organization that partners with Nigerian policymakers to address the complex health issues — including domestic violence — that are prevalent in some Nigerian cultures and affect Nigerian women, including emigrant nurses. Most of all, I love spending time with my beautiful family — they are the biggest blessing I could ever ask for, and they make me smile every day.
What’s a little-known fact about you?
A little known fact about me is having patience to a fault!