Date of Publication

2020

Project Team

Christina Harlow, DNP, APRN

Abstract

Purpose: Women’s childbirth experience can have long-term consequences on overall health and well-being of the parents and infant. Evaluating individual’s perspectives of maternal care received allows for appropriate assessment and improvements in the quality of care provided to ensure positive, evidence-based and respectful care. This project’s aim is to develop a formalized method of evaluating patient’s satisfaction with perinatal care delivered at a rural Ob/Gyn and Midwifery clinic with the intent of improving care.

Methods: A childbirth experience questionnaire was developed using a validated tool, the Norwegian Pregnancy and Maternity Care Patients’ Experiences Questionnaire (PreMaPEQ), and direct input from providers and the Senior Director of Quality and Risk Management. The questionnaire was administered to patients of this clinic at their two-week postpartum visit over a 74-day period.

Results: Across 25 questionnaires, high ratings were observed for Pregnancy Experience (mean=3.71/4), Birthing Center Experience (mean=3.79/4), with slightly lower ratings for the Postpartum Experience (mean=3.41/4). Handouts (76%) and verbal communications (88%) were the preferred modalities of communication. Open-ended questions revealed that individuals were very happy with their experience, wouldn’t change their experience and had selected the clinic based on proximity to home and positive references.

Conclusions: Identified areas of quality improvement included coordination among providers; physician accessibility; education on the health and development of newborns; education on coping with baby blues and postpartum depression; and delivering patient information mostly through verbal education/discussion and handouts/written information. The results of this project can help inform quality improvement initiatives targeted at improving aspects of perinatal care.

Document Type

Project

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