Roles and Experiences of Registered Nurses on Labor and Delivery Units in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To examine the roles and experiences of labor and delivery (LD) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Online distribution between the beginning of July and end of August 2020.

PARTICIPANTS

LD nurses (N = 757) responded to an open-ended question about changes to their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a larger national survey.

METHODS

We calculated descriptive statistics on respondents' characteristics and their hospitals' characteristics. We applied conventional content analysis to free-text comments.

RESULTS

We derived four major categories from the responses: Changes in Roles and Responsibilities, Adaptations to Changes, Psychological Changes, and Perceived Effects on LaborSupport. Nearly half (n = 328) of respondents reported changes in their roles and responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. They described adaptations and responses to these changes and perceived effects on patient care. Infection control policies and practices as well as the stress of a rapidly changing work environment affected the provision of labor support and personal well-being.

CONCLUSION

The experiences described by respondents conveyed considerable changes in their roles and subsequent direct and indirect effects on quality of patient care and personal well-being. Policies and practices that can facilitate the ability of LD nurses to safely and securely remain at the bedside and provide high-touch, hands-on labor support are needed. The findings of our study can help facilitate the provision of labor support during times of disruption and foster the resiliency of the nursing workforce.

Assessment of midwifery care providers intrapartum care competencies, in four sub-Saharan countries: a mixed-method study protocol

BACKGROUND

We aim to assess competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) of midwifery care providers as well as their experiences and perceptions of in-service training in the four study countries; Benin, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda as part of the Action Leveraging Evidence to Reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa project (ALERT). While today more women in low- and middle-income countries give birth in health care facilities, reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality have been less than expected. This paradox may be explained by the standard and quality of intrapartum care provision which depends on several factors such as health workforce capacity and the readiness of the health system as well as access to care.

METHODS

Using an explanatory sequential mixed method design we will employ three methods (i) a survey will be conducted using self-administered questionnaires assessing knowledge, (ii) skills drills assessing basic intrapartum skills and attitudes, using an observation checklist and (iii) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to explore midwifery care providers' experiences and perceptions of in-service training. All midwifery care providers in the study facilities are eligible to participate in the study. For the skills drills a stratified sample of midwifery care providers will be selected in each hospital according to the number of providers and, professional titles and purposive sampling will be used for the FGDs. Descriptive summary statistics from the survey and skills drills will be presented by country. Conventional content analysis will be employed for data analysis of the FGDs.

DISCUSSION

We envision comparative insight across hospitals and countries. The findings will be used to inform a targeted quality in-service training and quality improvement intervention related to provision of basic intrapartum care as part of the ALERT project.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PACTR202006793783148-June 17th, 2020.

Good clinical practice advice for the management of pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in Nigeria

The impact on healthcare services in settings with under-resourced health systems, such as Nigeria, is likely to be substantial in the coming months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and maternity services still need to be prioritized as an essential core health service. The healthcare system should ensure the provision of safe and quality care to women during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, and at the same time, maternity care providers including obstetricians and midwives must be protected and prioritized to continue providing care to childbearing women and their babies during the pandemic. This practical guideline was developed for the management of pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in Nigeria and other low-resource countries.

Why do women assume a supine position when giving birth? The perceptions and experiences of postnatal mothers and nurse-midwives in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Before the advent of Western medicine in Tanzania, women gave birth in an upright position either by sitting, squatting or kneeling. Birthing women would hold ropes or trees as a way of gaining strength and stability in order to push the baby with sufficient force. Despite the evidence supporting the upright position as beneficial to the woman and her unborn child, healthcare facilities consistently promote the use of the supine position. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of mothers and nurse-midwives regarding the use of the supine position during labour and delivery.

METHODS

We used a descriptive qualitative design. We conducted seven semi-structured interviews with nurse-midwives and two focus group discussions with postnatal mothers who were purposively recruited for the study. Qualitative content analysis guided the analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from mothers' and midwives' description of their experiences and perceptions of using supine position during childbirth. These were: women adopted the supine position as instructed by midwives; women experience of using alternative birthing positions; midwives commonly decide birthing positions for labouring women and supine position is the best-known birthing position.

CONCLUSION

Women use the supine position during childbirth because they are instructed to do so by the nurse-midwives. Nurse-midwives believe that the supine position is the universally known and practised birthing position, and prefer it because it provides flexibility for them to continuously monitor the progress of labour and assist delivery most efficiently. Mothers in this study had no other choice than to labour and deliver their babies in the supine position as instructed because they trusted midwives as skilled professionals who knew what was best given the condition of the mother and her baby.

Attention to childbirth and delivery in a university hospital: comparison of practices developed after Network Stork

OBJECTIVE

to compare, after four years of the implementation of the Stork Network, the obstetric practices developed in a university hospital according to the classification of the World Health Organization.

METHOD

cross-sectional study carried out in the year of adherence to the Stork Network (377 women) and replicated four years later (586 women). Data were obtained through medical records and a structured questionnaire. The Chi-square test was used in the analysis.

RESULTS

four years after the implementation of the Stork Network, in Category A practices (demonstrably useful practices/good practices), there was increased frequency of companions, non-pharmacological methods, skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding stimulation, and decreased freedom of position/movement. In Category B (harmful practices), there was reduction of trichotomy and increased venoclysis. In Category C (practices with no sufficient evidence), there was increase of Kristeller's maneuver. In Category D (improperly used practices), the percentage of digital examinations above the recommended level increased, as well as of analgesics and analgesia, and there was decrease of episiotomy.

CONCLUSION

these findings indicate the maintenance of a technocratic and interventionist assistance and address the need for changes in the obstetric care model. A globally consolidated path is the incorporation of midwife nurses into childbirth for the appropriate use of technologies and the reduction of unnecessary interventions.

Barriers and facilitators to humanizing birth care in Tanzania: findings from semi-structured interviews with midwives and obstetricians

BACKGROUND

In Tanzania, the provision of humanized care is increasingly being emphasized in midwifery practice, yet studies regarding perceptions and practices of skilled health personnel towards the humanization of birth care are scare. Previous reviews have identified that abuse and disrespect is not limited to individuals but reflects systematic failures and deeply embedded provider attitudes and beliefs. Therefore, the current study aims to explore the perceptions and practices of skilled health personnel on humanizing birth care in Tanzania by identifying current barriers and facilitators.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were held with skilled health personnel including midwives (n = 6) and obstetricians (n = 2) working in the two district hospitals of Tanzania. Data were analyzed using thematic coding.

RESULTS

Skilled health personnel identified systematic barriers to providing humanizing birth care. Systematic barriers included lack of space and limited facilities. Institutional norms and practices prohibited family involvement during the birth process,including beliefs that limited choice of birth position as well as disrespected beliefs, traditions, and culture. Participants also acknowledged four facilitators that improve the likelihood of humanized care during childbirth in Tanzania: ongoing education of skilled health personnel on respectful maternal care, institutional norms designed for continuous clinic support during childbirth, belief in the benefit of having family become active participants, and respecting maternal wishes when appropriate.

CONCLUSION

To move forward with humanizing the birth process in Tanzania, it will be essential that systematic barriers are addressed as well as changing the mindset of personnel towards respectful maternal care. It will be essential for the government and private hospitals to revalue their labour wards to increase the space and staff allocated to each mother to enhance family-integrated care. Additionally, in-service training as well as incorporation of respectful maternal care during pre-service training is key to changing the culture in the labour ward.

Fostering Collegial Collaboration Between Labor Nurses and Doulas

Nurses and doulas do not always have positive views of each other. When labor nurses face challenges in their ability to provide continuous labor support, one might believe that a doula would be welcomed, yet this is not always true. Conflicts can arise between nurses and doulas, often because of overlapping roles. However, an optimal health care system is one for which there is an integrated system that fosters collegial interprofessional collaboration. This commentary explores the role of doulas and the care they provide and describes strategies to promote collegial relationships between nurses and doulas.

Evaluation of the Nursing Care Offered during the Parturition Process. Controlled Clinical Trial of an Intervention based on Swanson's Theory of Caring versus Conventional Care

OBJECTIVES

This work sought to compare the evaluation of the nursing care provided during the parturition process in the intervention group based on Swanson's theory of caring versus that of the control group that received conventional care.

METHODS

Preventive-type controlled clinical trial conducted in a tier II hospital in San Gil, Santander (Colombia). During the parturition process, the intervention group received care based on Swanson's theory of caring (n=20) and the control group received conventional care (n=23). During immediate postpartum, the mothers were applied the Professional care rating scale by Swanson, validated into Spanish in Colombia.

RESULTS

Assessment of professional care in the intervention group was Excellent with an average for the scale total of 59.8 points of a possible maximum of 60 points, while in the control group it was Good with 50.2 (p<0.0001). In the 15 items that make up the scale and in both subscales (Compassionate Healer and Competent Healer) higher scores were also observed in the intervention group compared to those of the control group. Conclusion. The intervention derived from Swanson's theory of caring was associated to a better evaluation of professional nursing care by women during the parturition process.

Factors associated with utilization of skilled service delivery among women in rural Northern Ghana: a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Ghana's current Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 319 per 100,000 live births makes achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births or less by 2030 appear to be illusory. Skilled assistance during childbirth is a critical strategy to reducing maternal mortality, yet the proportion of deliveries taking place within health facilities where such assistance is provided is very low in Ghana, with huge disparity between urban and rural women. To address the gap in skilled attendance in rural Upper East Region, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in 2005 piloted a program that involved training of Community Health Officers (CHOs) as midwives. This study explored factors associated with skilled delivery services utilization in a predominantly rural district in Ghana.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study, data was collected from a sample of 400 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years who had given birth a year prior to the study. We used frequencies and percentages for descriptive analysis and chi-square (χ 2 ) test for relationship between independents factors and utilization of skilled delivery services.

RESULTS

Of the 400 women included in the analysis, 93.3% of them delivered in a health facility. Almost all of the mothers (97.3%) attended or received antenatal care at their last pregnancy with 75.0% of them having four or more ANC visits. The proportion of women who received ANC and utilized skilled delivery services was high (91.5%). Mother's educational attainment, ANC attendance, frequency of ANC visits, satisfaction with ANC services and possession of valid NHIS card significantly associated with utilisation of skilled delivery services.

CONCLUSION

For a predominantly rural district, the percentage of women who deliver within health facilities where skilled assistance is available is very encouraging and a significant stride towards reducing Ghana's overall MMR. Having four or more ANC visits and improving on the quality of care provided has a great potential of improving uptake of skilled delivery services.

Perspectives on implementing delayed cord clamping

Expanding evidence supports delayed cord clamping (DCC) for both term and preterm infants. This article explores issues that may be keeping early cord clamping (ECC) in place as usual practice. Professional organizations almost universally recommend DCC for preterm infants, but some reserve recommending it for term infants only in resource-poor settings. Concerns about polycythemia and jaundice persist in the literature, while years of published randomized controlled trials do not support the assumptions behind the concerns. New data suggest that DCC may improve resuscitative efforts in compromised infants. Multiple perspectives are offered for consideration when thinking about incorporating DCC into practice.

Are unintentional nurse-attended deliveries a patient safety issue?

Unintentional nurse-attended deliveries occur on most labor and delivery units. Some precipitous deliveries are unavoidable, but others, occurring after admission with the expectation that the woman's designated provider would attend the delivery are, for a variety of reasons, still attended only by nursing staff. This study was undertaken to establish a benchmark for unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. Fifty perinatal units were studied with respect to their statistics regarding unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. Ten of the 50 perinatal units (20%) did not keep statistics on unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. The average percentage of unintentional nurse-attended deliveries in the 40 perinatal units that did keep this statistic was 1.38% (range 0-5.3%). This benchmark should be useful as the safety issues for these types of deliveries are analyzed. Audits regarding timing of examinations during labor, practices regarding notification of providers and other communication practices, provider arrival times, and involved personnel should help perinatal units develop policies, protocols, and strategies to minimize the chances for unintentional nurse-attended deliveries when there should be enough time and appropriate communication to allow the woman's provider to be present at the delivery.

Catheterisation: best practice in bladder care

Bladder care is an integral part of caring for a woman in labour and the immediate postpartum period (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2014a). To ensure effective bladder care, the skill of urinary catheterisation is often undertaken by a midwife and can be required in a variety of different situations. Catheterisation is a necessary intervention whether it is intermittent, indwelling, short-term or, less often, long-term. This article addresses the current recommended guidance, highlights best practice measures and provides useful hints and tips to support catheter care.

Let there be mood lighting

In this column, Sara Wickham takes a sideways look at issues relevant to midwives, students, women and families, inviting us to sit down with a cup of tea and ponder what we think we know. As it is always useful to consider how we can facilitate physiological labour and birth, this month Sara shares some of the tips that she has gathered from midwives and other birth workers about how they help women and families to lower the light levels and create the semi-darkness which many people feel is conducive to normal birth.

The Value of the Maternity Care Team in the Promotion of Physiologic Birth

The benefits of normal, physiologic birth have been well documented. Health care providers such as nurses, midwives, and physicians have distinct and significant roles in the promotion of physiologic birth processes. By supporting women and families, doulas can enhance the maternity care team and further facilitate physiologic birth. A collaborative maternity care team can foster and support a common goal of safe, satisfying, and affordable care practices associated with physiologic birth.

Midwifery: home and away

The challenges faced by birthing women and maternity healthcare professionals in developing countries cannot not be over estimated. The experience of a midwife in a rural Tanzanian hospital described in this article gives a small insight into these challenges. With intermittent electricity, no running water, three beds, 20 births per day and lack of midwifery or obstetric education, morbidity and mortality rates are high, and teaching is difficult. Conversely, where monitoring is minimalistic and time limits are not applied, 'normal birth' is truly the norm and the trust in women to grow and birth their babies is consistent and commendable. Reflection upon midwifery in developing countries can help inform attitudes and practice in the UK.

Reflection of a birth reflections midwife

Supporting a woman's emotional recovery following what can sometimes be a traumatic event is becoming an important part of postnatal care. That simple question, "How was the birth?" can be the first step in allowing a woman to acknowledge and voice her innermost anxieties around the birth of her baby, and put her on the right path towards feeling better about it, if need be. The birth reflections service has been running in our area for almost six years and its purpose is two fold: firstly it provides women with a safe environment in which to talk about their labour and birth, where they can become better informed about the birth and where they can express themselves freely. Secondly, it provides first hand feedback for the maternity service about the care that's been given, enabling us to change practice for the better.

Introducing educational theory: vaginal examination

A vaginal examination (VE) is one of many core skills used in midwifery practice. Despite the controversy of whether it is necessary in all situations, in this article I take the standpoint that it is useful in providing a full clinical picture, especially at times when closer monitoring is recommended. Additionally, if the core skill is misinterpreted, the findings of the VE can distort the true clinical picture. To support the student, subjective assessment and individual learning pathways must be addressed to avoid unnecessary intervention and psychological impairment to the woman. This article explores some of the difficulties encountered with teaching and learning VE in clinical practice and offers concepts from educational theory to assist in clarifying the difficulties and offering new ways of thinking for both students and midwives.

Striving to make births safer

IT IS eight years since nurse leader Chinomnso Ibe established the Traffina Foundation for Community Health (TFCH), a non-profit organisation that helps to reduce the high number of deaths from complications during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria, her home country.