Former Policy Analyst for Nursing Education, Oregon State Board of Nursing
Battle Ground, WA
Dr. Nancy Irland is a nurse educator, perinatal clinical specialist, and retired certified nurse-midwife with over five decades of nursing and obstetrical experience. Her clinical background spans bedside labor and delivery care, nurse-midwifery in private practice, tertiary high-risk perinatal consultation, and clinical education leadership across major health systems, including Providence Health System and Salem Hospital. She also served as a Policy Analyst for Nursing Education with the Oregon State Board of Nursing and has taught future generations of nurses as adjunct faculty at Walla Walla University and Linfield College. Dr. Irland earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from Pacific Union College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Portland, followed by both a Master of Science in Nursing in Nurse-Midwifery and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Oregon Health & Science University.
Known for her creative and accessible teaching approach, Dr. Irland utilizes storytelling, vivid metaphors, and allegory to demystify complex physiological mechanisms and translate technical clinical concepts into practical, relatable terms. She has presented nationally and internationally—including podium and poster presentations at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland—frequently lecturing on gestational diabetes, acid-base balance, high-risk obstetrics, and perinatal bereavement. In recognition of her lasting influence in academic and clinical instruction, she was named Nurse Educator of the Year by the Oregon March of Dimes.
Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Irland is a prolific author and editor. She has penned 17 books spanning children’s literature and adult non-fiction titles, such as Grief: All I Need to Know I Learned While I Was Born and Help! I’m a Mother!. She serves as co-author of the board examination study guide Maternal and Newborn Success, now in its fifth edition, and contributed to Maternal-Newborn Nursing: The Critical Components of Nursing Care. Dr. Irland has authored numerous peer-reviewed clinical articles, served on the editorial review board for Nursing for Women’s Health (the official journal of AWHONN), and was recognized by the journal as Reviewer of the Year.