Healthy Weight Gain in Pregnancy: A Clinicians Tool for Individualized, Patient-Focused Collaboration

Purpose for the program:

The purpose of this poster presentation is to share a tool developed by the Washington State Department of Health available for prenatal clinicians to utilize to engage patients in developing goals, behaviors and providing individualized resources for healthy weight gain during pregnancy.

Proposed change:

Five OB practices were presented with the tool as a way to address Healthy Weight Gain during the first prenatal (intake) exam.  One was not formally addressing weight gain; the other four did not have a patient-based tool.  The goal was to get each clinic to utilize the tool.

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:

In a pilot, five OB practices throughout the Southwest Region of Washington state were presented with the “Healthy Weight Gain in Pregnancy” tool, along with a “Clinician’s Tool for Healthy Weight Gain in Pregnancy” to help clinicians with assessment, dialog and monitoring.  Represented were: one urban, underserved OB access clinic, one urban family practice/residency practice, one urban OB practice, one suburban OB practice and one rural OB practice. Laminated clinician’s tools and patient tools were given to each practice in pad form in three languages: English, Spanish and Russian.  After three months, each practice was queried regarding whether providers were using the tool, patient interaction/success in engaging and plans to continue to use the tool.  Of the five practices, only the rural practice was not embracing the tool: probably due to significant changes in staff, providers and management.  All others have incorporated the tool in their OB intake process.  The OB Access clinic utilizes the tool in their Centering/Group visit program and others use the tool as part of their OB intake interview.  Most successful in embracing the tool is the suburban practice who use the tool AND resources within the tool to develop plans that are incorporated into their EMR and monitor weight gain based on goals developed.

Implications for nursing practice:

The purpose of presenting this poster is genuinely to share this tool with others.  In communicating with other practitioners throughout the nation who are also engaged and interested in gestational weight gain, many are seeking a tool that will help engage patients and are anxious to find something that has already been developed that can be used in their practices. This tool is a tangible, readily accessible way to engage patients in participating in healthy behaviors for a healthy pregnancy and healthier birth outcomes.   

Keywords:

Gestational Weight Gain, Obesity in Pregnancy, Pregnancy Weight Gain Tool