Samantha Sommerness Reimer, PhD(c), DNP, APRN, CNM

Dr. Samantha (Sam) A. Sommerness Reimer PhD(c), DNP, APRN, CNM \ began her nursing career in 1993 in the care of women and children in the US Army. Her professional nursing practice is diverse as she holds a certification as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), spent 6 years in the United States Army as a labor and delivery nurse and was deployed to Bosnia for 1 year during Operation Joint Endeavor. Sam is a passionate educator and health care consultant and has held a variety of positions including full scope midwifery, developing obstetrical care models for health systems, and faculty and facilitator for national projects to improve patient safety, team communication, and quality of care for mothers, and their newborns within the hospital environment. Since 2015, Sam has been a full-time educator and after serving at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing for 8 years, she now serves as an Associate Professor and Director for Engagement and Outreach for the University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) School of Nursing. Additionally, she is passionate about igniting the nursing profession and believes this should start in high school. Starting in 2025 she partnered with UNW and Southwest Christian High School to teach an exploratory course focused on what nursing is and how to prepare for this wonderful career.  She is PhD(c) candidate (graduating in May 2025) researching perinatal substance use disorder (SUD) and inpatient obstetrics. She speaks nationally on SUD, perinatal safety, and is a published author.

Publications

•  Piao, X., Imdieke, B. H., Sommerness, S. A., & Pandita, D. (2024). An Evidence-based Preoperative Evaluation Documentation Template Improves Perioperative Communication. Applied Clinical Informatics, 15(01), 121-128. 
• Elgersma, K., Chevalier McKechnie, A., Sommerness, S., Tanner, L., & Munn, N. (2022). Wayfinding through the “ocean of the great unknown”: How lactating parents establish a direct breastfeeding relationship with an infant with critical congenital heart disease. Cardiology in the Young. page 1 of 12. doi: 10.1017/ S1047951122003808 
• Horning M.L., Friend S., Freese R.L., Barr-Anderson D.J., Linde J.A., Sidebottom, A., Sommerness S.A., Fulkerson J.A. (2022). Parent Weight, Diet, Active Living Outcomes, and Food-Related Outcomes of the Family-Focused NU-HOME Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2022.10.009 
• Swanson, N. M., Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., McPherson, P. L., Bergeron, M. J., Sommerness, S. A., Friedrich, C. L., & Spatz, D. L. (2022). Encourage, Assess, Transition (EAT): A Quality Improvement Project Implementing a Direct Breastfeeding Protocol for Preterm Hospitalized Infants. Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, 10.1097/ANC.0000000000001037. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000001037 
• Elgersma,K.,Chevalier McKechnie, A.,Schorr, E.,Shaha, K., Ramela,S., Trebilcocka, A., Ambrosea,M, Munn, N., Sommerness, S., & Spatz, D. (2022)  The impact of human milk on outcomes for infants with congenital heart disease: A Systematic Review. Breastfeeding Medicine; 17(5);393-411.http://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0334  
• Elgersma, K., Sommerness, S. (2021). What does it mean to be breastfed? A concept analysis in    the context of healthcare research, clinical practice, and parent perspective. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2021 Oct-Dec 01;35(4):305-312. doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000572  
•  Kahwati, L., Sorenson, A., Texteira-Poit, S., Ivester, T., Sommerness, S., Miller.K…et al. (2019) Impact of the agency for healthcare research and quality’s safety program for perinatal care. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. TJC: Apr;45(4):231-240. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2018.11.002. Epub 2019 Jan 11. 
• Gray, K., Sorensen, A., Sommerness, S., Miller, K., Clare, H., Mistry, K., & Kahwati.   (2018)   Implementation experiences with improving safe medication practices for oxytocin and magnesium sulfate during labor and delivery, Research on Women’s Health. 2018;1(1):2. DOI: 10.24983/scitemed.rwh.2018.00075 
• Sommerness, S, Bangdiwala, A, Hirt, C, Gams, Rauk, P, Avery, M, Delkoski, S., Miller, K.,  & Landers, D. (2017). Birth outcomes after implementation of an evidence-based guideline for managing delayed-pushing in the second stage of labor in women with epidural analgesia. Research on Womens Health (RWH) 2018;1(1):1 DOI: 10.24983/scitemed.rwh.2018.00056. 
• Gams, B, Popp, K, Cramer, J, George, T, Rauk, P, Sommerness, S, Sublette, J. (2017). Delayed cord clamping: How to engage your team for successful implementation of a new practice. Nursing for Women’s Health (NWH). 21(6);1-10. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2017.10.003 Impact factor 0.51  
• Sommerness S, Gams R, Rauk, P, Hirt, C, Landers, D, Bangdiwala, A, Avery, M, Millar, A, Cho, S., Sheilds, A, (2017). The perinatal birth environment: Communication strategies and process for adherence to a standardized guideline in women undergoing second stage labor with epidural anesthesia. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nurses. (JPNN); 31(1), 41–50 doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000224 Impact factor 0.91 
• McArdle, J, Sorenson, A, Fowler, C, Sommerness, S, Burson, K, Kahwati. (2017). Enhancing Shoulder Dystocia Management through AHRQ Safety Program for Perinatal Care.  Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN). DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2017.11.014 Impact Factor 1.261 
• Webb, J, Sorenson, A, Sommerness, S, Lasater, B, Mistry, K, Kahwati, L. (2017) Advancing Perinatal Patient Safety through Application of Safety Science Principles using Health IT. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. (2017) 17:176 DOI 10.1186/s12911-017-0572-8 Impact Factor 2.86 
• Kozhimannil KB, Sommerness S, Rauk P, Gams R, Davis S, Miller K, Hirt C, Landers D. (2013). A perinatal care quality and safety initiative: hospital costs and potential savings. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, TJC; 39(8), 339-348 PMCID: PMC3761411 NIHMSID: NIHMS449691Impact factor 1.13 

Presentations (last 7 years)

•  Sommerness, SA., & Gams, B., Marmet, J. Eat Sleep Console to Manage Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative/Minnesota Hospital Association. Featured monthly presentation, December 4^th, 2024 
• Gams, B., Sommerness, SA Eat Sleep Console to Manage Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Premier, Inc. Featured monthly presentation, June 15^th, 2023 
• Gams, B., Sommerness, SA., Brown, T., Osborn, C., Vogel, C, Smith, B, Wilson, G, Marmet, J. Eat Sleep Console to Manage Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. AWHONN 2023 Annual National Conference; June 19^th, 2023; New Orleans, LA. [Accepted poster] 
• Sommerness, SA., Brown, T., Gams, B., Osborn, C., Vogel, C, Smith, B, Wilson, G, Marmet, J, Abney, A., Morris, E,. Eat Sleep Console to Manage Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. AWHONN Minnesota. November 4^th, 2022. 
• Sommerness, SA., Gams, B., Osborn, C., Vogel, C, Smith, B, Wilson, G, Marmet, J, Abney, A., Morris, E.,. Pilot Project Implementing Eat Sleep Console to Manage Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Women on a Maintenance Assisted Treatment Protocol: An Update. Midwest Nursing Research Society, 2022 Annual Research Conference; 2022 March 30; Schaumburg, IL, United States. [Accepted poster] 
• Elgersma KM, McKechnie AC, Sommerness SA, Tanner LR, Swanson NM. Wayfinding through the “ocean of the great unknown”: How lactating parents establish a direct breastfeeding relationship with their infants hospitalized with complex congenital heart disease. Midwest Nursing Research Society. 2022 Annual Research Conference; 2022 March 30; Schaumburg, IL, United States. [Accepted poster] 
• Sommerness, S. Gams, B, and Morris, E., Perinatal Substance Use Road Map Update and Results from a Pilot Study of a Protocol for Eat Sleep Console (ESC) at a Regional Hospital, Minnesota Hospital Association, September 14^th 2021, 10-11 am 
• Ancil Abney, Sommerness, S. Gams, B. Pilot Study of a Protocol for Eat Sleep Console (ESC) at a Regional Hospital, AWHONN MN April 16^th 2021, 1-2pm 
• Arcan C., Friend, S., Sommerness S, Fulkerson. “Associations between obesogenic home food environments and frequency of snack intake among 7-10 year old children living in rural communities.”ISBNPA, April 2020 
• Sommerness, S. Prevention of the Primary Cesarean Birth. March of Dimes Chicago, Illinois.  March 3-4^th, 2019 
• Sommerness, S Management of 2^nd Stage of Labor and Impact on Cesarean Section Rates. AWHONN Illinois, April 4th, 2019 
• Sommerness, S. A Primer on Third Stage Management: Clinical Considerations for the Obstetric Team. Minnesota Perinatal Organization. September 27^th, 2018 
• Sommerness, S, Hoffman, S, & Goering, M. Perinatal Mythbusters!: Test Your Bedside Cred. MN AWHONN April 11^th, 2018 

Awards

• 2022; 2020, 2019; 2018; 2017: Outstanding Teaching and Dedication Award from the Center for Education Innovation at the University of Minnesota  
• 2020 Daisy Award; Recognition of Nursing Excellence for Exceptional Mentoring, 2020 
• 2018 Selected into the Dean’s 2018 LEADS Cohort
• 2013 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award 2013, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse category