Abstract
Presented at the 2024 Parkview Nursing Research Symposium.
Background: Childbirth is a natural physiologic event, with most women requiring some form of pain relief during their birth experience. The transition of Parkview’s Certified Nurse Midwife Program to Parkview Randallia’s Family Birthing Center in the fall of 2023 increased the demand for non-pharmacologic labor and birth options for low-risk pregnant patients. One option for non-pharmacologic pain relief is water immersion and waterbirth. Water immersion during labor and waterbirth can promote comfort and reduce the need for medical interventions during labor. There is currently no option for women to achieve a waterbirth experience within a hospital setting that has access to emergency services within the region. Objective: Implement a quality improvement project to expand birthing options for women wanting water immersion and waterbirth within the hospital setting. Methods: An interdisciplinary team met in the early spring of 2023 to begin planning waterbirth at the facility. The team set a goal to offer waterbirth with the midwives' transition to the unit. The process included the creation of a waterbirth policy and procedure, provider and staff training, documentation workflows in the EHR, changes in nursing practice, and the implementation of new workflows surrounding the use of portable hospital-grade tubs. Results: Since implementation, 26 women have experienced a successful waterbirth, with more utilizing water immersion during labor. Of those who experienced a successful waterbirth, over 50% experienced no perineal trauma, and over 75% had second-stage pushing times of 30 minutes or less. Infants delivered in the water included average APGARs of 8.04 and 8.96 at 1 minute and 5 minutes, respectively. The most common neonatal intervention at delivery was skin-to-skin, and no infants delivered in the water required an increased length of stay or transfer to a higher level of care. Conclusion: The quality improvement project demonstrates that women and their families want additional comfort and birth options available within a hospital setting to achieve their desired birth experience. Parkview Randallia’s Family Birthing Center meets this need while maintaining quality outcomes for mothers and newborns.
Document Type
Meeting Abstract
Publication Date
11-2024
Recommended Citation
Noga, Kim MSN, RN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, C-EFM; Thorpe, Allison MBA, MSN, CNM; Frane, Nataley BSN, RN; Pickens, Sarah BSN, RN; Smith, Lisa MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, NP-C, RNC-OB; and Russ, Angela Russ MSN, RN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, "Birth by Land or by Water: Implementing Waterbirth at Parkview Randallia" (2024). Nursing Publications, Posters, & Presentations. 73.
https://researchrepository.parkviewhealth.org/nursing-articles/73