NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendocino Community Health Clinic (MCHC) welcomes certified nurse midwife Eva Skillicorn to the Care for Her team.

Skillicorn is bilingual in English and Spanish and Care for Her is currently accepting new patients.

Skillicorn joins Care for Her from New Mexico, where she cared for women in the border town of Las Cruces in a practice set up similarly to Care for Her.

She says she likes to be part of a team and was attracted to Care for Her in part because of their mission to care for the most vulnerable people in the community.

Certified nurse midwives have master’s degree training that allows them to care for patients, prescribe medication, attend births, and assist women with health issues throughout their lives.

For Skillicorn, good care all begins with listening carefully and accepting other points of view.

“I really try to listen to patients, to hear their stories. I don’t think you can give good medical care if you don’t listen,” she said. “We’re all individuals; I try to understand and appreciate where people are coming from.”

She added, “And I always try to explain things in plain language.”

She explains that using technical words can be tempting because they are so precise, but if a patient doesn’t understand a word then Skillicorn hasn’t done her job as she sees it.

In addition to communicating mindfully with patients, Skillicorn does her best not to rush them, even when she’s being rushed.

“Whether it’s labor or listening, I don’t rush patients. To make good decisions, people need time to reflect, gather information, process,” she said.

And when it comes to decision-making, Skillicorn firmly believes that patients should be in the driver’s seat. “I won’t tell you what to do, but I will help you make an informed choice.”

“Eva is a great fit,” said Care for Her Manager Jill Damian. “She really understands how to work well with patients and provide excellent care.”

Skillicorn will see patients at all three MCHC sites: Hillside Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits and Lakeside Health Center in Lakeport.

Skillicorn grew up in a small town in western Massachusetts, similar in size to Ukiah. She was aware of midwifery as an occupation because her friend’s mother was a midwife and the local hospital was staffed with midwives.

After her undergraduate studies in peace and justice at Tufts University in Boston, her interest in midwifery grew and she attended Yale’s School of Nursing to gain her nursing degree and a master’s degree in nursing.

Skillicorn describes her demeanor as approachable and professional, and she looks forward to meeting new patients and exploring Mendocino County.

When she’s not at work, you can find her hiking, walking, biking, swimming, or just generally enjoying the outdoors.

For more information about Care for Her, visit http://www.careforher.org or call 707-468-1010.

Mendocino Community Health Clinic is a local nonprofit organization providing access to health care for all.