Advancing Maternal Health Through Research
At Family to Family Support Network, education is only the beginning. We believe meaningful change happens when evidence informs practice, and when research is translated into real-world improvements for patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
Our team collaborates with researchers, healthcare organizations, universities, and national partners to evaluate innovative educational programs that improve respectful, equitable, and trauma-informed care.
Whether we're studying nursing education, adoption-sensitive care, substance use disorder education, or respectful perinatal care, every project shares one goal:
Helping every family receive compassionate, evidence-based care.
NEWEST PUBLICATION
Impact of Respectful and Equitable Care Certification Training on Nursing Students’ Confidence, Knowledge, and Readiness to Care for Unique Families
Why This Research Matters
Future nurses often receive limited education on caring for families whose experiences fall outside traditional maternity education. This study evaluated whether the Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification could better prepare nursing students to confidently care for diverse family structures and complex perinatal situations.
Key Findings
✓ Increased confidence caring for unique families
✓ Improved knowledge of respectful, equitable care
✓ Greater readiness for real-world clinical practice
✓ Strong learner satisfaction and positive qualitative feedback
With the support of Huggies Healthcare and Dr. Angela Clark from the University of Kentucky, this research demonstrates the impact of evidence-informed education on preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. We are proud to share this peer-reviewed publication evaluating the Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification and its role in improving confidence, knowledge, and readiness to care for unique families.
Read the PublicationOur Publications
Explore peer-reviewed research and quality improvement projects advancing respectful, equitable care for every family.
Impact of Respectful and Equitable Care Certification Training on Nursing Students’ Confidence, Knowledge, and Readiness to Care for Unique Families
Authors:
Angela Feagan Clark, Rebecca Vahle, Amanda T Wiggins
Supported by:
Huggies Healthcare
Journal: Next Research, Volume 12, 2026, 102198,
ISSN 3050-4759,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexres.2026.102198.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S3050475926008948)
More research coming soon!
Quality Improvement & Program Evaluation
Beyond published research, Family to Family Support Network is committed to evaluating every educational program we create. By continuously measuring learner outcomes, confidence, knowledge, clinical practice, and participant feedback, we ensure our education remains evidence-informed and responsive to the evolving needs of healthcare professionals and the families they serve.
These findings guide ongoing program improvements and frequently lay the groundwork for future research collaborations, quality improvement projects, and peer-reviewed publications.
Our Commitment to Transparency
Family to Family Support Network distinguishes between peer-reviewed research and internal program evaluation. While both contribute valuable insights, peer-reviewed publications undergo independent scientific review, whereas program evaluations are designed to measure and improve the effectiveness of our educational initiatives and quality improvement efforts.
The Vault is Family to Family Support Network's growing library of evidence-informed webinars designed to equip healthcare professionals with practical knowledge that improves care for diverse families. Each webinar is sponsored by Huggies Healthcare eAcademy and evaluated to measure learner engagement, knowledge acquisition, confidence, and the likelihood of applying new skills in clinical practice.
Participant evaluations and continuing education assessments help ensure every educational offering remains relevant, impactful, and responsive to the evolving needs of maternal and infant healthcare professionals.
Program Highlights
- Growing library of evidence-informed educational webinars
- Continuing education available for nurses and healthcare professionals
- Topics include respectful and equitable care, birth trauma, adoption-sensitive care, neurodivergent-informed care, substance use disorder, leadership, and maternal mental health
- Supported by national partners including Huggies Healthcare
Evaluation Metrics
- Learner knowledge assessments
- Continuing education completion rates
- Participant satisfaction and qualitative feedback
- Self-reported confidence and intent to change practice
- Educational impact across multidisciplinary healthcare teams
Related Program
The Vault Continuing Education Library
The Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification is Family to Family Support Network's flagship continuing education program designed to prepare healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, evidence-informed care for every family. Beyond peer-reviewed research, REC is continuously evaluated to measure its impact on learner knowledge, confidence, clinical decision-making, and readiness to care for diverse populations.
Through participant assessments, course evaluations, and learner feedback, REC continues to evolve based on evidence and the needs of today's healthcare workforce.
Program Highlights
- 12 evidence-informed learning modules
- 15 nursing continuing education credits (CNEs)
- Designed for multidisciplinary perinatal healthcare professionals
- Grounded in trauma-informed, respectful, and equitable care principles
- Continuously updated using learner outcomes and emerging evidence
Evaluation Metrics
- Pre- and post-training knowledge assessments
- Learner confidence and readiness to provide respectful care
- Continuing education completion rates
- Participant satisfaction and qualitative feedback
- Ongoing quality improvement and curriculum refinement
Related Program
Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification
Through a partnership with the Washington State Department of Health, Family to Family Support Network evaluated the implementation and impact of a statewide educational initiative designed to improve respectful, trauma-informed care for pregnant and parenting individuals affected by substance use disorder.
Using pre- and post-training assessments, participant feedback, and implementation metrics, this evaluation measured changes in learner knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction while supporting healthcare organizations in adopting evidence-informed practices.
Program Highlights
- 13 healthcare organizations participated in Washington State
- 417 training seats distributed
- 141 healthcare professionals completed the full training program
- Four evidence-informed educational modules evaluated
- Significant improvements in learner knowledge and confidence across all modules
- High participant satisfaction with practical, clinically applicable content
Impact Areas
- Washington Statewide implementation outcomes
- Knowledge and confidence assessments
- Participant satisfaction and qualitative feedback
- Organization-level participation and completion metrics
- Continuous quality improvement and program refinement
Related Program
The Respectful Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Care Training is available to hospitals, healthcare organizations, and community partners seeking team-wide education. Contact Family to Family Support Network to learn how this evidence-informed training can support your organization and improve care for families affected by substance use disorder.
The original Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification established Family to Family Support Network's evidence-informed approach to preparing healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, respectful, and equitable care for diverse families. Through comprehensive program evaluation, REC 1.0 demonstrated meaningful improvements in learner knowledge, confidence, and clinical preparedness while providing the foundation for the expanded REC 2.0 curriculum.
Insights gathered through participant assessments, course evaluations, and learner feedback directly informed the development of REC 2.0, ensuring the program continues to reflect current evidence and the evolving needs of maternal and infant healthcare.
Program Highlights
- Comprehensive continuing education for perinatal healthcare professionals
- Introduced the Respectful & Equitable Care framework
- Evaluated through learner assessments and participant feedback
- Served as the foundation for the enhanced REC 2.0 Certification
Evaluation Metrics
- Pre- and post-training knowledge assessments
- Learner confidence and preparedness
- Participant satisfaction and qualitative feedback
- Course completion and engagement outcomes
- Curriculum refinement based on evaluation findings
Program Legacy
The findings and participant feedback from REC 1.0 directly informed the creation of REC 2.0, expanding the curriculum to 12 modules and 15 nursing continuing education credits while strengthening its evidence-informed approach.
Related Program
Respectful & Equitable Care (REC) Certification 2.0
Interested in Collaborating?
Family to Family Support Network welcomes opportunities to collaborate on research, quality improvement initiatives, educational evaluation, and implementation science focused on improving maternal, infant, and family health.
Whether you're a researcher, healthcare system, nursing school, grant partner, or nonprofit organization, we'd love to explore opportunities to work together.
Partner With UsEnter your text here.
