This month's Nurse Spotlight is on Ms. Rebecca Cypher who works a Perinatal Clinical Specialist at Madigan Army Medical Center. Ms. Cypher was recently elected to the Board of Directors at the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Ms. Cypher was raised in Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Eastern Michigan University in 1988 and accepted a direct commission to the United States Air Force. Ms Cypher began her military career in the Obstetrical Internship Program at Travis AFB, California. After completing her internship, she was transferred to Sheppard AFB, Texas where she was a clinical nurse on the Obstetrical Unit. It was here that she was able to establish the groundwork that would lead her to a successful career.

In 1993, Ms Cypher transferred back to Travis AFB to expand her clinical skills with a high risk obstetrical patient population. Here she gained advanced practice skills including ultrasound and laid the foundation for becoming an educator and author. In 1997, she departed California for Luke AFB, Arizona where she worked on the obstetrical unit and the outpatient clinic. It was during this time she decided to pursue a graduate degree at Regis University in Denver, Colorado while working fulltime.

In 2000, she was transferred to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. While stationed in Alaska, Major Cypher graduated with a Master's Degree in Nursing, Perinatal Nurse Practitioner. Shortly after, she was dual hatted as the Element Chief, Perinatal Services and Perinatal Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General.

In 2004, she was transferred to Wilford Hall as the Perinatal Clinical Specialist. This is where she honed her skills as an educator and researcher while being a role model and mentor in the Obstetrical Department. She led her colleagues in clinical innovation and education on the DoD's largest birthing center. She coordinated and provided obstetrical care to patients while collaborating with a variety of disciplines. Ms Cypher coordinated several NICHD funded research studies. She traveled throughout the USA and abroad as a fetal monitoring instructor for the DoD. In 2007, she deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. After retiring from the Air Force in 2008, Rebecca moved to the Pacific Northwest to take over the position of Perinatal Clinical Specialist at MAMC.

Ms Cypher was the recipient of many awards during her military career: TX Nurses' Association Nurse of the Year, Air Force Section Junior Nurse of the Year, AETC Company Grade Nurse of the Year, Federal Female Employee of the Year, March of Dimes Excellence in Perinatal Nursing Award, San Antonio Nursing Excellence Award, and Armed Forces Award of Excellence in Clinical Practice.

She is very active in her professional organization, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and has held professional various other positions including Armed Forces Section Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, consultant, task force leader for revising the Advanced Fetal Monitoring course, and task force member for revising the Intermediate Fetal Monitoring course. She has presented on a variety of topics where she is a nationally known expert in fetal monitoring, legal issues, and high risk conditions in pregnancy. She is also the author of several book chapters and journal articles related to obstetrics.