Denae Ellson, CNM

“When I can empower patients to understand what’s happening and you see that lightbulb happen when they understand ‘Oh this is why I’m experiencing what I’m experiencing’ or ‘This is what’s happening with my body,’ and then they have the knowledge finally that they’ve been searching for to make an informed decision. You can see that lightbulb happen in people’s minds and then they get excited to help be a partner in their care.

I don’t think that top down, I’m the provider I tell you what you need, works. The patients can tell me what they need, sometimes they just need a little knowledge to do that. So getting that education to them, so they can figure out what they need and why is key and it’s fun to watch that lightbulb go off. It’s my favorite part of my job.”

Get to Know Denae, CNM

“I don’t think that the top down, ‘I’m the provider, I tell you what you need’ way of caring for people works. Patients can tell me what they need, sometimes they just need a little knowledge to do that. Getting that education to them so they can figure out what they need and why is key and it’s fun to watch that lightbulb go off. It’s my favorite part of my job.”

Denae knew from an early age that she was destined to be two things: a nurse and a mother. After working as a nurse for 5 years and then passing her midwifery boards and becoming pregnant in the midst of the pandemic, she’s been able to experience both. She began her career as a nurse caring for patients that needed end of life care, rehabilitation, and oncology and urology surgical care.

The Not So Secret Side of Denae, Certified Nurse Midwife

Prenatal & Childbirth

Within a few years of working as a nurse, her passion to work with moms and babies was calling her to make a change. Her next year and a half spent working in labor and delivery solidified her desire to become a midwife and helped her develop the ability to connect with each laboring person that came into her care. Working in the birth world since 2016 as a nurse and now midwife, Denae has been a part of countless births – each one special in its own way.

Gynecological

Pursuing Midwifery and Women’s Health at Georgetown University, Ellson graduated with her certification right before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. She was fortunate to find a position with Planned Parenthood North Central States. Staying within Minnesota, she visited clinics throughout the state to help patients with a range of services including birth control and gender affirming hormone therapy. Ellson says “I got to work with the LGTBQ community in a way I hadn’t before. It was a blessing to be able to do that.”

Now as she makes the transition to Southdale ObGyn, Denae is looking back at what she can bring to patients from her past experience. “I don’t ever want my patients to feel like they can’t tell me what’s going on in their lives,” Ellson says, “I’m just here to serve the person sitting in front of me no matter what they need.” Going through a high-risk pregnancy herself in the midst of a pandemic, she wants her patients to know that she understands the loss you can feel as a patient when things you’ve hoped for can’t happen. “When all of a sudden you get a diagnosis or something comes up in your pregnancy and you have to shift plans, I’ve felt that pain and that loss and how hard that is.”

Born at Fairview Southdale and raised in Minnetonka, Denae is thrilled to be joining a team that serves a community close to her heart and delivers babies at the same hospital she was born in. Outside of her work, she enjoys musical theater, playing with her two cats and being a parent. She makes an effort to see the tight knit group of friends and family she has close by as often as possible.

Education

Master of Science in Nursing | Nurse Midwife & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Georgetown University

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
University of Wisconsin | Eau Claire

Certification/licensure

Neonatal Resuscitation Program
Women and Gender Health Nurse Practitioner
Certified Nurse Midwife – Minnesota
BLS Provider by AMA

Memberships

American College of Nurse Midwives – Minnesota Affiliate Member

Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity – Epsilon Alpha Chapter Advisor