Policies

ACNM Code of Conduct

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Code of Conduct reflects who we are, what is important to us, and how we communicate in our meetings, our online communities, and through verbal, written, and visual expressions. The Code provides an overview of the general rules and policies that are consistent with the high standards of business ethics we uphold and emphasizes the value we place on trust and treating all ACNM members and stakeholders with respect. It’s imperative that every member follow our Code of Conduct, to observe high standards of integrity, and to make decisions that will preserve trust. The Code of Conduct is a great resource, but it does not cover every situation. It is important to use good judgment in your words and actions and contact ACNM if you’re unsure about the right course of action. While we encourage a lively exchange of ideas and insights in face-to-face and online proceedings, we do ask that you read and adhere to the ACNM Code of Conduct when participating in ACNM events and discussions whether online, verbal, written or visual. Read our full Code of Conduct.

ACNM Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

In proceedings of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), ACNM strives to maintain professional environments and professional interactions where people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect – an environment characterized by mutual trust and the absence of intimidation, oppression, and exploitation. ACNM will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind. ACNM will not tolerate negative biases and racial stereotypes from any party including staff, volunteers, speakers, guests, members, contractors, military, government, and industry representatives. Breaches of these policies by third party vendors would be cause for disciplinary action and/or cancellation of said contract at the discretion of the CEO. The ACNM Harassment Policy and Position Statement on Racism and Racial Bias can be found here. The ACNM Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policies can be found here.

ACNM Bias Incident Response Transparency and Healing (BIRTH) Team

ACNM is committed to conducting a meeting that is free of bias. To help ensure this, members have formed a Bias Incident Response Transparency and Healing (BIRTH) Team. Attendees who experience or witness bias in any form at the ACNM Annual Meeting, can report the incident to the BIRTH Team. The report will be confidential and the attendee can choose to remain anonymous. The team will offer support, resources and arbitration, as well as coordinate community healing, educational outreach and make recommendations for organizational changes. The team may be reached at birthteam@acnm.org.

Attendee Conduct

• Selling and/or marketing activities are reserved exclusively for registered exhibitors and can only be conducted from an exhibit booth space
• Annual meeting attendees that plan to sell and/or market products can only do so from an exhibit booth in the Industry Exhibit Hall.
• At the sole discretion of ACNM, attendees found in violation of this requirement may be escorted from the meeting and have all meeting privileges revoked without a refund of fees paid.

Attendees must respect commonsense for public behavior, personal interaction, common courtesy and respect for private property. Harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated. ACNM reserves the right to revoke, without refund, the membership, and/or exhibition space and registration credentials of any attendee not in compliance with this policy. Persons finding themselves in a situation where they feel their safety is at risk or who become aware of an attendee not in compliance with this policy should immediately locate the nearest member of security, or staff member, so that the matter can be handled in an expeditious manner.

Cell Phones

Out of respect for presenters, cell phone should be placed on vibrate or turned off in all education sessions.

Badge Information and Mailing Address

Badges are issued based upon the information included on the registration form. Indicate your name as you would like it to appear on your badge. Include CNM, CM, SNM, or other certifications as appropriate. Non-midwives should indicate highest degree or title. Designate the school, hospital, service, organization, or other place of employment as you want it to appear on your badge. If professional title and/or organization are left blank, no designations will appear. Under no circumstance is an attendee with a name badge permitted to give the badge to another individual who is or is not a paid attendee at the meeting. Fraudulently allowing an individual to gain access to events and/or exhibits by using another’s credentials is grounds for immediate removal of all parties from the meeting. Correspondence will be sent to the e-mail address you provide on the registration form. Attendees are always required to show their badge if requested to do so.

Bullying and Incivility Position Statement

Ticketed Events

Certain events require attendees to have a ticket, you may be requested to present your ticket to gain entrance into the event, in the situation where the room is full, and you do not have a ticket you will not be permitted to enter. If you are interested in attending a ticketed event be sure to pre-register in advance and have your ticket to show at the door.

Classification and Fees

Find your classification and input corresponding code and registration fee on the registration form. Current paid members of ACNM may register under active member, active supporting, or student/associate member. All other registrants must choose between non-member or non-member student. Students, both ACNM members and non-members, qualify for reduced rates only if enrolled as a student in an ACME accredited midwifery program. If you are planning to attend a business meeting only, you may register onsite with a current membership card and photo identification. Early bird registration offers the best savings. If you miss this deadline, you can still qualify for advance registration. After the advanced registration deadline, the online system will be closed, all registrations will be processed onsite and onsite fees will be charged.

Payment

Checks (made payable to ACNM), VISA, AMEX, Discover, and MasterCard are acceptable forms of payment. Full payment must be received in order for registration to be processed. Registration is guaranteed only after your VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover or Mastercard has been approved or your check has cleared. If your credit card is declined or your check is returned, ACNM reserves the right to cancel registration if an alternate approved payment is not supplied. Please be advised that ACNM is not responsible for checks or letters lost or delayed in the mail

Registrants requiring authorization from the government or other agencies to attend the Annual Meeting may submit copies of approved purchase orders, vouchers, or other official documents with the registration form and register at the discounted rates.

Meeting Cancellation

All cancellation notices must be submitted to events@acnm.org. The deadline for refund requests is Wednesday, September 7th. No refunds will be issued after this date. Refunds will be charged a $50 processing fee. Fees paid for optional tickets, guest tickets and workshops are non-refundable. All refunds will be processed 14 days after the completion of Midwifery Works. In the event of a workshop cancellation, ACNM will reassign attendees to another workshop at an equal value or issue a refund. Other costs incurred by the registrant, such as airline or hotel penalties, are the responsibility of the registrant. Please send all requests in writing to events@acnm.org. 

No-Shows

Refunds will not be granted for no-shows. Speakers who fail to show up for their presentation without contacting event@acnm.org of cancellation will not be permitted to present at any ACNM-sponsored meeting for two years following the “no-show”. 

Workshops

Workshops require additional fees (unless otherwise indicated), pre-registration, and prepayment. ACNM makes financial obligations based on the number of tickets sold, therefore, we cannot refund tickets unless the event is cancelled. In the event of a workshop cancellation, ACNM will reassign you to another workshop of your choice at an equal value or issue a refund. All refunds will be processed no later than 14 days after the conclusion of the Annual Meeting.

Non-Smoking Policy

Smoking is not permitted in public areas such as the hotel lobby or the expo area or where prohibited.

Privacy Policy

Midwifery Works registration lists, including registrant names, postal mailing addresses, and phone numbers, are available for sale to exhibitors in advance of and after Midwifery Works. In addition, certain personal information, including the registrant names, postal mailing addresses, phone numbers, hospital/practice affiliations, and practice focuses, is available at Midwifery Works to exhibitors through a “lead retrieval system” mechanism. For additional information, please refer to the entire ACNM’s Privacy Policy.

Private Meeting

ACNM’s Midwifery Works is a private meeting. ACNM reserves the right to control space and ask people to leave the meeting who are not qualified to attend or who cause disruptions at ACNM’s sole discretion.

Children

Children under the age of 16 are not permitted in education sessions or the Expo. Children and young adults over the age of 16 must be registered as guests and wear a badge. To accommodate nursing mothers the following will apply:

• Expo Attendance: Nursing infants 12 months and under will be allowed in the exhibit hall during show hours only and must always be carried in the arms or front baby carrier* .
• Education Sessions: To provide all attendees with an optimal learning environment, children under the age of 16 are not permitted in the education sessions. Exceptions to this rule will be made for nursing mothers and their infants 12 months or younger only.
• Exhibitors: Exhibitor booth staff must be registered as such and be 18 years or older. The nursing infant rule does not apply to exhibitors. No child under the age of 18 may be in an exhibit booth during set-up, tear-down or show hours. Anyone in violation of these rules will have their booth closed and will not be provided a refund.
• Childcare is not available at the meeting; however, your hotel concierge may be able to assist you.

We request that should you decide to bring children under the age of 16 that they be never left unattended at the meeting and that you take full responsibility for their safety and well-being. Your support and compliance are appreciated. Violation of these policies could result in revocation of meeting registration and removal from the meeting.

*A front baby carrier is a carrier where the baby is affixed to the front of the mother’s chest, and she still has use of one or both hands to go about business. Some of these can be affixed with buckles and clasps, where others are cloth.

Continuing Education Accreditation and Research Policies

Attending Midwifery Works is one of the best ways to learn about developments in midwifery and women’s health and earn CEUs. Participants can earn as many as 12 hours of credit.

Continuing Education Units

ACNM CEUs are accepted for the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) Certification Maintenance Program (CMP) and the National Certification Corporation (NCC) for Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. Other professional groups may recognize ACNM CEUs as well; non- CNMs/CMs should check with their certifying and licensing agencies.

Research Policies

ACNM and the Division of Research (DOR) have established a policy for the distribution of research surveys at Midwifery Works and other ACNM functions. If you plan to collect data from ACNM members, please review the policy by clicking HERE. Data collection activities that have not been approved in advance by the DOR are not permitted.

Reproduction Policy

ACNM reserves any and all its rights to materials presented at Midwifery Works, including Posters and Scientific Exhibits. Reproductions of any kind, by any person or entity, without prior written permission from the College, are strictly prohibited. Prohibited reproductions include but are not limited to, audiotapes, videotape, and/or still photograph. Persons violating this policy may have their badge confiscated and will be escorted from the meeting. No unapproved surveys, handouts, or literature may be distributed at the meeting.

Photography Release

On occasion, ACNM uses photographs and videos of meeting events in their promotional materials. Unless the permission is revoked in writing to ACNM, by virtue of attendance, all meeting attendees agree to use their likeness in such materials.

Alcoholic Beverages

ACNM’s official policy regarding the minimum age for alcohol consumption is the age applicable to the jurisdiction of the event venue.

Lost and Found

ACNM is not responsible for items lost during the meeting, nor is ACNM responsible for returning found items to attendees.

Housing Policy

In an effort to support our host city, demonstrate effective practices in room block management, and keep registration fees lower, ACNM encourages attendees to stay within the official ACNM housing block at all ACNM meetings. Please direct any questions on the policy to events@acnm.org.