Download

Download Full Text (251 KB)

Keywords

Hypertensive disorder, pregnancy, morbidity, mortality, United States, Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, mother, baby

Disciplines

Nursing

Description

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are among the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States. The rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy has been increasing from approximately 500 cases per 10,000 deliveries in 1993 to 1021 cases per 10,000 deliveries in 2017. The Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (MI AIM) is dedicated to improving the culture of maternal safety by decreasing preventable severe maternal morbidity and mortality through the implementation of early recognition patient safety bundles. These evidence-based guidelines offer clinical and non-clinical staff resources aimed at improving clinical care processes and patient outcomes. The patient safety bundles help fully equip hospitals with actionable protocols, necessary equipment, staff education, and staff drills to prevent and adequately treat these severe maternal events.

For this project, a mother-baby care Registered Nurse (MBC RN) took initiative to work with the education team to assist with design and implementation of evidence-based education to fellow nurses regarding patients making follow up appointments when hypertension is present/diagnosed/treated during their hospital stay (for delivery). This is a metric that MIAIM desires a level of 80% compliance for patients having follow up appointments on a 3 or 7 day basis, depending on their hypertension diagnosis with or without severe range blood pressure noted during their hospital stay. It has been shown that having these follow up appointments made prior to discharge can decrease poor outcomes or life altering outcomes, for these recently delivered people. Prior to the intervention, the maternal-child care areas were below meeting the metric. This being the driver for this education initiative coming from the nursing standpoint. Nurses are a major source for discharge education on the MBC unit. Hence, being alert to anticipated discharge day, having the patient call the office on a business day to make the follow up appointment before leaving, and educating patients can the importance of this follow up is an example of nursing empowerment.

Publication Date

5-2025

Comments

Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2025.

Hypertension Follow Up Appointments for Postpartum Patients

Share

COinS