“…A Tapestry of Challenges and Blessings Mary Ellen Doherty, PhD, RN, CNM sion making, collaboration, advocacy, and relationships (Beldon & Crozier, 2005;Fleming, 1998;Hildingsson & Haggestrom, 1999;Hunter, 2002;Kennedy, 2002;Kennedy, Shannon, Chuahorm, & Kravetz, 2004;McCrea & Crute, 1991;Nicholls & Webb, 2006). In one qualitative study examining the factors that motivated nurses to pursue midwifery as a career path (Ulrich, 2009), six themes emerged from the data: personal birth experience, love of maternity nursing, seeing midwifery as a calling, encouragement from others (especially midwives), an epiphany moment, and using nursing as a steppingstone to midwifery.…”