Melissa Saftner, PhD, MBA, APRN, CNM, FACNM

Dr. Saftner is the director of the Nurse Midwifery Program at the School of Nursing. She is an active member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Dr. Saftner’s research focus is on adolescent health issues, particularly global adolescent health. She is peer reviewer for multiple professional journals and a site visitor for the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education.

• Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior
• Global health, marginalized populations and health disparities
• Health promotion in adolescent populations
• Research Methods/Techniques
• Grounded Theory Qualitative
• Methods Mixed Methods

Academic Interests and Focus

• Nurse-midwifery
• Nursing Research
• Health disparity prevention

Teaching Areas

• Midwifery
• Reproductive health care
• Quality improvement

Dr. Saftner currently clinically practices as a Certified Nurse-Midwife at University of Minnesota OBGYN and Allina Health OB/GYN. 

Clinical Interests: Adolescent Health, Outpatient Care, Midwifery Model of Care

Clinical Experience Statement:
I have worked for almost two decades caring for individuals and their families. It is an honor to work with patients as they transition through various life stages.

• Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award (formerly the Kitty Ernst Award), American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2019
• Fellow, American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2018
• Excellence in Teaching Award, American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2017
• Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 2016
• Exceptional Mentorship, The Daisy Foundation Daisy Award, 2015
• MNRS Adolescent Health Research Section Dissertation Award, 2012

• Sigma Theta Tau International
• Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
• American College of Nurse Midwives

Tukamushabe, P., Ngabirano, T. D., Okonya, J. N., & Saftner, M. A. (2024). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Impaired Maternal-Infant Bonding among Mothers Attending Young Child Clinic in Kampala, Uganda. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(6), 665. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060665

Ainebyona, H., Ayebare, E., Nabisere, A., & Saftner, M. A. (2024). Prevalence of Maternal Fever and Associated Factors among Postnatal Women at Kawempe National Referral Hospital, Uganda: A Preliminary Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(3), 316. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030316

Saftner, M. A., & Ayebare, E. (2023). Using Collaborative Online International Learning to Support Global Midwifery Education. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 37(2), 116–122. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000722

Brown, C., Neerland, C.E., Weinfurter, E.V. & Saftner, M.A. (2023), The provision of abortion care via telehealth in the United States: A rapid review. Journal of Midwifery Womens Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13586

Miller, K. K., Saftner, M. A., McNamara, M., McMorris, B., & Olupot-Olupot, P. (2022). Provision of adolescent health care in resource-limited settings: Perceptions, practices and training needs of Ugandan health care workers. Children and Youth Services Review, 132, 106310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106310

Saftner, M. A., Pruitt, K. S., & McRee, A. L. (2021). Conversation, condoms, and contraception: How does communication with sexual partners affect safer sexual behaviors among American Indian youth? Journal of School Nursing, 37(2), 109-116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840519849097

Arbour, M. W., Gordon, I. K., Saftner, M., & Tanner, T. (2020). The experience of sleep deprivation for midwives practicing in the United States. Midwifery, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102782

Saftner, M., Thompson, M., Ngabirano, T. D., & McMorris, B. J. (2020). Adaptation of the event history calendar for Ugandan adolescents. Global Health Promotion, 27(3), 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975919878179

Ngabirano, T. D., Saftner, M. A., & McMorris, B. J. (2022). Exploring health behaviors in Ugandan adolescents living in rural rishing communities. The Journal of School Nursing, 38(2), 148-160. doi:10.1177/1059840520947142

Neerland, C. E., Avery, M. D., Looman, W. S., Saftner, M. A., Rockwood, T. H., & Gurvich, O. V. (2020). Development and testing of the preparation for labor and birth instrument. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 49(2), 200-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2019.12.006

Neerland, C. E., Avery, M. D., Saftner, M. A., & Gurvich, O. V. (2020). Corrigendum to 'Maternal Confidence for physiologic birth: Associated prenatal characteristics and outcomes' [Midwifery 77 (2019) 110-116]. Midwifery, 80, 102557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2019.102557

Neerland, C. E., Avery, M. D., Saftner, M., & Gurvich, O. V. (2019). Maternal confidence for physiologic birth: Associated prenatal characteristics and outcomes. Midwifery, 77, 110-116.

Ngabirano, T. D., Saftner, M. A., McRee, A., & McMorris, B. J. (2020). Considerations for conducting global health research with adolescents in rural communities. Journal of Global Health Reports, 4, 2020093. https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.17605

Award: Midwest Integration of the National HIV Curriculum (MINH
Principal Investigator: Rybicki, Sarah Louise
Sponsoring Organization: University of Illinois Chicago
Award Dates: 2019 - 2022

Award: Midwest Integration of the National HIV Curriculum (MINH
Principal Investigator: Rybicki, Sarah Louise
Sponsoring Organization: University of Illinois Chicago
Award Dates: 2019 - 2022

Award: Exploring Risk behaviors in Uganda Adolescents living in
Principal Investigator: Saftner, Melissa Ann
Sponsoring Organization: Sigma Theta Tau International
Award Dates: 2017 - 2018

Award: Exploring Adolescent Risk in Ugandan Fishing Communities
Principal Investigator: Saftner, Melissa Ann
Sponsoring Organization: Sigma Theta Tau International
Award Dates: 2017 - 2018

• Adolescent risk behavior
• Global health
• Marginalized populations and health disparities