Introduction
The performance measure of Prenatal and Postpartum Care was chosen from the area of ​​Access/Availability Care. This measure aims to monitor a pregnant woman’s health, childbirth, and subsequent well-being, as well as the first days and months of a child’s life. This measure is considered the most important since gynecological health care is responsible for demographic processes. In gynecology, there is also the problem of child and maternal mortality. All civilized and developed countries have low levels of these indicators. The study proposed exploring nursing practice performance, using prenatal and postpartum care as an example. Three patient interventions were described, and then it was outlined how the interventions would improve patients’ health and save costs for practice. In addition, whether patients after the intervention would be able to be satisfied with the result.
Patient Interventions
Breastfeeding Problems and Interventions
Advice from nurses is recommended and initial training during pregnancy or when planning a pregnancy. Many mothers have a heavy lactation period, and women do not understand whether their child is not hungry (Regis College Online, 2021). They often worry about the baby’s hunger and switch too early to solid food, and infant formula (Prenatal and Postpartum Care (PPC), 2022). The nurse must assess the mother’s condition and give her recommendations; otherwise, the transition to solid food too early will harm the baby; in training, the nurse and the patient create cooperation. Education will allow mothers to make quick decisions about feeding, although modern telemedicine capabilities enable access to online nurse services (Karacam & Saglik, 2018). Consultations can take place on different points: the birth of twins, cesarean section, which negatively affects breastfeeding, and a cleft lip in a child (Karacam & Saglik, 2018). In the latter situation, the mother needs support and the father.
Creating and Regulating Diet during Pregnancy and Lactation
The role of the nurse is minimized since the control of the woman’s weight and nutrition is based on behavioral change. Weight maintenance is based on changing habits or maintaining established eating habits. Women need to be motivated during the diet phase since dieting requires regular attention and strong efforts (Lamminpää et al., 2017). During pregnancy and even more so during breastfeeding, a woman changes her lifestyle, and for many, this becomes stressful. Many women are also unable to change their lifestyles. It is crucial to seek advice as a group rather than individually in a dietary situation, even though women’s bodies may have different requirements (Prenatal and Postpartum Care (PPC), 2022). Group counseling will help women share their experiences and support (The International Weight Management in Pregnancy (i-WIP) Collaborative Group, 2017). Doctors and nurses can select diets for women, but these diets may remain recommendations, or medical staff will require strict adherence.
Interventions for Women with Postpartum Depression
Women sometimes experience anxiety, loneliness, and lack of support in the first year after giving birth. It may be due to the increased burden of caring for a child and poor relationships with family and relatives (Zhao et al., 2021). In such situations, nurses can provide a woman with a wealth of information for psychological self-help. Women can study this information on the Internet or, in particular, applications for smartphones (Zhao et al., 2021). Perhaps group therapy will be suitable for some women, as they will communicate with others like them; share experiences and support. Such mothers will be able to be friends and walk together with their children in the future. Many women want to receive psychological support anonymously to avoid social stigma. In these circumstances, nurses must provide complete information and advocate for any care and therapy. This topic may be especially relevant for teenage mothers; in their case, telemedicine may be suitable, where they can receive psychological consultations via instant messengers or video calls.
Improved Patient Outcomes
The described interventions significantly improve patients’ health, the health of their children, and their future. Breastfeeding can be very painful and problematic for women. However, interventions will teach women to listen carefully to their bodies. It will also allow them to carefully plan their family in the future since pregnancy immediately after childbirth can harm breastfeeding. Women who are weak or taking medication at the time of delivery cannot breastfeed either. The dietary intervention helps women develop new eating habits and cravings. It changes their behavior and attitude toward food, life, and pleasures. Their lifestyle, in general, becomes healthier with the proper diet. Suppose such women gain weight during pregnancy, in the following months after the child’s birth. Psychological intervention helps women find peace and get rid of anxiety (Zhao et al., 2021). It improves their mental state and builds a good relationship with their newly born babies.
Cost Savings
Nurses’ breastfeeding consultations will force women to be more careful about their health and check their breasts and mammologist in advance. The number of visits to the doctor is expected to decrease. They can also use telemedicine services for brief consultations, which will significantly reduce the practice’s cost. The dietary intervention will also develop independence and autonomy in women. They will have fewer problems with digestion and weight gain. As part of this intervention, nutritionists and other professionals are expected to share the cost of practice with nurses (Regis College Online, 2021). Psychological intervention most successfully shows how the costs of practice can be reduced. This intervention is best suited for telemedicine and shows specific results in avoiding anxiety and loneliness.
Patient Ratings
All interventions chosen will increase patient satisfaction and, as a result, ratings. Breastfeeding often becomes an intimate issue they cannot discuss with friends. Nurses provide detailed advice and motivate women to pay attention to any problems. They can also give specific advice to parents of twins or children with cleft lips, which will allow them to feel special care and attention (Karacam & Saglik, 2018). The dietary intervention will be challenging for many women as their comfortable lifestyle and habits are at stake. Nurses can insist on specific prohibitions, which can cause dissatisfaction. If the weight is maintained or reduced after the birth of a child, all women will be satisfied with the work done and will thank, first of all, themselves. The psychological intervention will significantly improve the quality of life of women and will be the key to their successful communication with their child. Under the circumstances described, patient ratings should rise at least slightly, as in the case of diets; psychological intervention expects ratings to increase significantly.
Conclusion
The selected interventions are considered very important for a modern healthcare system. Breastfeeding problems are excruciating for most women; it is vital to receive training and advice from nurses who can care for their breasts. The dietary intervention will allow women to change their lifestyle, behavior patterns, and eating habits. The psychological intervention will help women avoid postpartum depression or reduce its effects. The interventions chosen will benefit the patients in the long run and will slightly reduce the cost of the practice. Patients will receive satisfaction from the care, and their quality of life will improve significantly in the future.
References
Karacam, Z., & Saglik, M. (2018). Breastfeeding problems and interventions performed on problems: Systematic review based on studies made in Turkey. Türk Pediatri Arşivi, 53(3), 134–148. Web.
Lamminpää, R., Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K., & Schwab, U. (2017). A systematic review of dietary interventions for gestational weight gain and gestational diabetes in overweight and obese pregnant women.European Journal of Nutrition, 57(5), 1721–1736. Web.
Prenatal and postpartum care (PPC). (2022). NCQA. Web.
Regis College Online. (2021). Understanding nursing roles during early pregnancy. Web.
The International Weight Management in Pregnancy (i-WIP) Collaborative Group. (2017). Effect of diet and physical activity based interventions in pregnancy on gestational weight gain and pregnancy outcomes: Meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomized trials. BMJ, 358. Web.
Zhao, L., Chen, J., Lan, L., Deng, N., Liao, Y., Yue, L., Chen, I., Wen, S. W., & Xie, R. H. (2021). Effectiveness of telehealth interventions for women with postpartum depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis. JMIR MHealth and UHealth, 9(10). Web.