Debra Boersma, CNM

I have always known I wanted to be a nurse and work with moms and babies. My sister was attending nursing school when I was snoopy youngster, and I would find her nursing textbooks and go through them and look at the pictures. Needless to say, the obstetrical book was my FAVORITE — conception and birth is so fascinating! That led me to Dordt College, a private school in Northwest Iowa, to be a NICU or labor and delivery nurse. For one clinical experience, I spent a day in clinic and at a birth with a nurse midwife and immediately knew that’s exactly what I wanted to do.

Four months after graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I started my Nurse Midwifery and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner programs at Georgetown University. I had some amazing experiences and learned so much from my wonderful teachers and preceptors – all remarkable midwives! I am VERY excited to work with Oakdale ObGyn and our patients. My main goal as a midwife is to help you, moms-to-be, fall more in love with your baby every time we interact through education and patient involvement.

My childhood home is in Hospers, a small town in northwest Iowa, with a population of about 700 people, so moving to the cities was an adventure! My cat Pip and I live in a little apartment in Maple Grove — very close to the hospital so it’s perfect for those middle of the night runs to the Family Birth Center for deliveries. I have 4 handsome nephews and 4 beautiful nieces who are the delight of my life, ranging in age from newborn to 23.