Increasing Awareness-Inspiring Hope:Postpartum Emotional Support Program

Purpose for the program:

This poster describes the implementation of a Postpartum Emotional Support Program (PESP) for all postpartum patients who deliver at our center.  The goal of our program is to identify, educate and provide support to those new mothers who may be at risk for developing postpartum depression.  Our program enables all women who deliver at The Women’s Center at University Community Hospital to complete a voluntary Postpartum Depression Risk Assessment questionnaire and to have the answers scored by one of the PESP specialist.  Based upon their score they are seen by one of our PESP specialist who reviews the questionnaire with the patient and identifies nursing interventions and appropriate follow-up.

Proposed change:

To increase the awareness of signs and symptoms of postpartum depression in our postpartum population and our community.

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:

 Data is collected on all mothers who give birth at The Women’s Center via the Postpartum Depression Risk assessment tool within 12-24 hours after delivery.  For those who score “at risk” for postpartum depression, health outcomes will be measured by the PESP Registered Nurse.  The outcomes that we hope to achieve through the implementation of our program are the early detection of postpartum depression with the appropriate support and follow-up care for these patients and increasing community awareness. Our program started in mid April 2009. Statistics are as follows: April 2009 through December 2009 1,354 patients were screened. 20.9% were identified with significant risk factors.  January 2010 through July 2010 1,234 patients were screened with 21.6% being identified as having significant risk factors.

Implications for nursing practice:

 To heighten the standards of nursing care for patients and families through education and resource information.

Keywords:

Postpartum Depression, Identifying risk factor for postpartum depression