Specialized Emergency Care for Expecting Clients

Presenter Information

Sydney SnyderFollow

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Nursing

Presentation Format

Poster Presentation

Abstract/Description

Every year America ranks the highest in maternal mortality of all developed countries. An average of 26.4 mothers die out of 100,000 who give birth every year in the US, whereas Finland is at a low of 3.8 deaths yearly (“Global, Regional, and National Levels of Maternal Mortality,” 2017). The World Health Organization addresses these problematic events, “The majority of maternal deaths are due to hemorrhage, infection, unsafe abortion, and eclampsia, or from health complications worsened in pregnancy. In all these cases, unavailable, inaccessible, unaffordable, or poor-quality care is fundamentally responsible” (2015, para. 1). The issue of inadequate care to pregnant women can be resolved with specialized obstetrical emergency access in the hospital setting. Quick treatment will be available to clients in emergent situations allowing for appropriate nurses from the obstetrical unit (OB) to assess and monitor both mother and baby. Research confirms that emergency department (ED) nurses feel poorly trained to handle the emotional and psychosocial component of obstetrical emergencies (Emond et al., 2019). However, nurses in the OB unit report feeling more confident and competent in managing trauma in the pregnant client (Green et al., 2015). Collectively, the evidence indicates the need for adequate specialized emergency care for expecting clients. This solution can also be confirmed by Wendt, who proves that specifically trained OB staff will contribute to patient-centered care in emergencies (2013). Overall, an obstetrical emergency department (OBED) will support nursing confidence, enhance client satisfaction, and most importantly improve maternal outcomes.

Spring Scholars Week 2020 Event

Evidence Based Best Practices in Clinical Healthcare (Posters)