Growing a High Risk Antepartum Unit: A Community Hospital's Experience

Growing a High Risk OB Unit: A Community’s Hospital Experience

This program will highlight the development of a high risk OB unit in a community hospital. In response to the needs of the community for which the hospital serves, this OB department recognized a need to develop a higher level of care for OB patients and grow to a tertiary care center. Integral steps in the development of this unit will be highlighted during the poster presentation and include but are not limited to:

• Development and implementation of evidence-based nursing care policies for high risk patients
• Education program for nursing staff on high risk OB issues
• Weekly inservices for nursing and physician staff
• Institution of daily nursing grand rounds in high risk area
• Collaborative rounds with social worker and nurse case management twice a week
• Collaboration of nurses and physicians in the development of this unit
• Facilitation of combined nurse/physician planning committee for the unit
• Development of high risk unit physician orders
• Development of high risk unit standards of care for patient population
• Appointment of clinical leadership of high risk area/ Innovate role of Advanced Practice Nurse
• Implementation of patient/family advisory committee
• This committee was comprised of previous high risk patients who provided information on their stay and ideas for improvement
• Development of psychosocial support system for inpatient high risk OB patients
• Daily snacks services
• At your service dining
• Antepartum Social Hour
• Movie Night
• Institution of OB hospitalist program

This program will recognize the impact of the bedside nurse and her ideas in the improvement of patient care in a high risk OB area. Collaboration with physicians will be highlighted. At the present time, new ideas and new programs are being develop to continue to support this growing unit. More information will be available on the poster presentation.