Orange County (KNX) - After spending nearly 35 years in labor and delivery, Diane Upton, a career nurse, decided to make a change and follow her passion - becoming a midwife.
LISTEN:
If you're wondering, 'what's the difference?' - Diane explained it to KNX reporter Heather Jordan.
"A labor nurse," Diane says, "will labor the patient and always work under the direction of a physician; they call the physician to come in and basically catch the baby."
On the other hand, "a midwife works in conjunction with a labor nurse, will be there when the labor is active, and [the midwives] catch the baby."
Diane has taken her L&D skills overseas to Guatemala and Kenya, helping those in remote areas receive the best medical care.
Over more than 30 trips, Diane spent her time in homes, clinics, and operating rooms, ensuring the moms and babies in need were cared for.
It's not just her skills but also her knowledge that has proven valuable to these women and their babies. She tells KNX News, "Some of their customs are quite damaging to these little babies, and I was able to start to educate moms about some of their tribal practices that were actually harmful..."
So what drives Diane to do this work? She says, "You know, you go, and you think you're going to help other people, but really they give so much more to you."
Her hard work and dedication to the safety of women and children everywhere make Diane Upton of Orange our KNX Hero of the Week!
Listen to the whole inspirational story above.
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