Here is what you can expect to learn about and practice on the day:
Event Details
Event Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025
Event Address: 100 Founder's Way Suite 5 Strasburg, VA 22657
Event Time: 8:30am-5:30pm, registration opens 8am
Schedule of the Day
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM: Registration and Check In
8:30 AM-10:00 AM: Newborn Assessment
10:00 AM-10:30 AM: Break + Skills Sign Off
10:30 AM-12:00 PM: Postpartum Skills
12:00 PM-12:30 AM: Break + Skills Sign Off
12:30 PM-1:30 PM Lunch
1:30 PM-4:30 PM: IV & Phlebotomy Skills
4:30 PM- 5:30 PM: Skills Sign Off + Wrap Up
5:30 PM- 7:00 PM: Join us for Happy Hour food and drinks at Los Potrillos at 19 Single Knot Dr. Strasburg, VA 22657
Weaver's PSGM (5th ed) Skills We Will Cover:
(click to open website for PSGM purchase)
POSTPARTUM SKILLS:
Bimanual Compression (Page V-19)
Manual Removal of Placenta and Fragments (Pages V-20-21)
Assessment of the Placenta (Page V-9)
IV & PHLEBOTOMY SKILLS:
Venipuncture with Needle and Syringe (Page II-10)
Venipuncture with Vacutainer (Page II-12)
Drawing Medication from an Ampule (Page II-3)
Drawing Medication from Multi-Dose Vial (Page II-3)
Intravenous Therapy (Page II-13)
Starting an IV (Page II-14)
Changing IV Tubing (Page II-16)
Changing IV Solution (Page II-17)
Discontinuing an IV (Page II-18)
Heparin or Saline Lock (Page II-19)
NEWBORN ASSESSMENT SKILLS:
We are Birth Working.
Pacific Birth Institute (PBI) is a community-focused perinatal education and training institute dedicated to equipping birth workers with the competency and skills to provide safe, effective care. Founded by professional and nurse midwives, PBI aims to educate and train 100,000 midwifery students and birth assistants by 2050, with graduates already practicing in 24 states and 5 countries. Through comprehensive programs including the Professional Birth Assistant (Pro BA) course, Midwifery Skills Days and Retreats, and the Midwifery Apprenticeship Boot Camp, PBI empowers birth workers both in-person and online to competently and confidently support home and birth center births. PBI offers culturally responsive, evidence-based training that covers routine care, complications, and emergency management, all designed for diverse learners - from EMTs to stay-at-home parents seeking birth work opportunities, from doulas preparing for emergencies to practicing midwives in need of CEUs and Charting Templates. Driven by a commitment to improving maternal health outcomes, PBI bridges gaps in the perinatal healthcare landscape and empowers birth workers through practical skills and advanced care techniques that save lives. We are Birth Working.
We asked and you answered. Our curated, student-focused trainings include:
Hands-On Instruction and Time to Practice
All of the supplies for the skills practice - stethoscopes, IV supplies, blood pressure cuffs, and more!
Charting and SOAP Documentation Practice
Time for Open and Honest Q+A with the instructors and your classmates,
Skills Sign Offs and Verification of Skills for Student Midwives
An invitation to join the Midwives at Happy Hour after Skills Day!
Kimberly Haines CPM, LM
Jessica Johnston CPM
Jessica Johnston, a powerhouse Certified Professional Midwife from Alaska, is revolutionizing maternal healthcare as co-founder of Pacific Birth Institute. Since 2018, she's been catching babies, empowering families, and transforming midwifery education through innovative programs that blend hands-on skills with accessible learning formats. Her vision is clear: train the next generation of birth workers to ensure every community has access to skilled, compassionate care. When she's not teaching or attending births, Jessica is advancing the field through national conference presentations, instructing at Midwifery Skills Days and Retreats, and building curriculum and programs for midwifery universities, making her a dynamic force in the excellence and evolution of community birth.
“Kim takes her wealth of knowledge and experience and teaches new and exciting ways of doing complicated skills. I am forever grateful for the uniqueness and helpfulness of her teaching. ”
Zach Nunnley, Practicing Midwife and Graduate of CCSM
“Jess made it all so easy! I was terrified of placing an IV but I knew I had to hone this skill and get over my fear. Jess sat with me and a few other students until we confidently could land the IVs without hesitation. I could not have asked for a better experience!”
Tianna Baker, Doula and Student Midwife
“Kim is an incredible teacher! Her skill level and ability to communicate complex concepts with ease made learning both enjoyable and stress-free, all while emphasizing the life-saving importance of the skills. I am excited that she is collaborating with the Pacific Birth Institute!”
Dinesha Lowdwen, CCSM Graduate
“I am so grateful I came to the skills day that Jess and Jenn hosted in Anchorage. I learned more in four hours about vital signs, documentation, and finding the position of a baby than I had in the five previous months in my apprenticeship! So knowledgeable, funny, and they break it down so everybody gets it. It's astonishing, honestly. And the pregnant models were the best, to be able to practice with pregnant people and not feel rushed, that was icredible. Thank you PBI!”
Pam Allison, Practicing Birth Assistant, Graduate of the Professional Birth Assistant Program
Join PBI instructors online and in-person at these upcoming events!
Join our Hawaiian Midwifery Skills Retreat in Kona, Jan 15-19, 2026. Earn 15 CEUs through hands-on workshops on IV Pharm, Suturing, and VBAC, Breech, and Twins. Enjoy professional growth while relaxing on our oceanfront Big Island farm.
$990
Are you ready to commit to being a safe, smart, marketable member of the birth team and take your knowledge and skills for assisting community birth to the next level? The Professional Birth Assistant Program is here to get you there.
$3,300
Have more questions? Email us at [email protected] today!
Lodging, transportation to and from the Skills Day and Happy Hour, the Weaver's PSGM manual, food/drinks including lunch and Happy Hour, are all the responsibility of the student and not included in the ticket purchase for the Skills Day. We will have water, tea, and coffee on-site for everyone to enjoy for the Skills Day portion of the event. Please bring your own lunch or plan to purchase food nearby during the lunch break.
You only need to bring a notebook and pen and your lunch/snacks and plan your own transportation to/from the event if you are just coming to learn. If you plan on Skills Sign-Off, you must bring a 5th edition Weaver's Practical Skills Guide for Midwifery. The mini-course that comes with your Skills Day ticket purchase will have some supplemental education in it about the skills we will cover for everyone to enjoy. However, even it will center around the listed Weaver's PSGM skills above, so we do highly encourage all attendees, and especially midwifery students, to purchase and bring a copy and to use it to study before the day of the event. Your online mini-course will open closer to the event and you will receive an email letting you know when that happens, typically one month out from the event date. All medical supplies and equipment required for the training will be provided for you, so come ready to learn and practice!
No prior experience is required. This event is designed for community members and students at all stages of their community birth or midwifery education. It is also open to and educational for practicing midwives who want to brush up on old skills and maybe learn a few new things throughout the day. The ticket prices are the same for all attendees.
The early bird pricing ends 4/18/2025 with a price increase of $50/ticket from $250-$300. Tickets remain $300 from 4/19 through the day before the event. Day Of Tickets are $350 for all attendees.
No, all ticket sales are final and non-refundable once purchased. If you are unsure of your availability, you may choose to pay the event price on the day of the event. However, please note that this price is higher due to additional costs associated with accommodating last-minute attendees, such as the extra shipping of extra supplies and space accomodations to make sure we can accept these students easily. We HIGHLY recommend that, if possible, you take the day off call and enjoy the early bird savings before 4/18, but we also have this option for those who cannot make that scheduling happen and who need to wait and see.
No, we do not offer scholarships for Midwifery Skills Days. We aim to keep costs low for everyone by providing all necessary equipment, supplies, event location, models, instructors, and amenities. This approach ensures that the program remains accessible to as many students as possible.
Yes, you will receive a certificate of completion detailing the skills covered for the day and skills sign-offs from NARM Preceptors for the techniques practiced during the day (if applicable for you). The certificate of completion will be auto generated inside of your PBI dashboard once you have attended the weekend and you have completed the post-workshop exit survey. There are no CEUs associated to Midwifery Skills Days for students, but this certificate is a great addition to any apprentice's portfolio as it will demonstrate to your prospective and current preceptors that you are trained and competent in these skills.
Comfortable attire is recommended as we will be moving up and down and all around with some skills during the day. You may also want to bring a light sweater as room temperatures can vary. Yes, free parking is available on-site at 100 Founder's Way.
Join us September 25,2026 in Strasburg, VA for a Midwifery Skills Day you do NOT want to miss.
