Liz Nutter

Liz Nutter is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Saint Martin's University, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Frontier Nursing University, an MSN from Radford University, and a BSN from the University of Portland. Her expertise lies in midwifery, obstetrics, hydrotherapy, and waterbirth practices. A retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army, she previously served as Director of the Army’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Program (2014–2017) and Chief Midwife at Madigan Army Medical Center. Her career spans over 20 years in healthcare leadership, with a focus on evidence-based practices in women’s health.

Dr. Nutter is a national expert in waterbirth and hydrotherapy, having authored key clinical guidelines and policy documents for military and civilian healthcare systems. Her research emphasizes institutional change to promote physiological childbirth and reduce healthcare disparities. Recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (2020), she has received multiple awards including the Order of Military Medical Merit (2019) and the DAISY Nursing Excellence Award (2012).

Her scholarly contributions include chapters in influential midwifery textbooks (e.g., Varney’s Midwifery) and peer-reviewed publications on hydrotherapy implementation, military healthcare policies, and women’s health advocacy. She has also developed standardized protocols for waterbirth in military treatment facilities, advancing safe and patient-centered obstetric care.