Mommy's Little Helper: A Maternal Centered Approach To Skin To Skin In The Or

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Title: Mommy's Little Helper: A Maternal Centered Approach To Skin To Skin In The Or

Courtney Sundin, MSN, RNC-OB , Labor and Delivery, Baylor All Saints Medical Center, Andrews Womens Hospital, Fort Worth, TX
Lauren Mazac, BSN, RNC-OB , Baylor All Saints Medical Center-Andrew's Womens Hospital, Fort Worth, TX

Discipline: Women’s Health (WH)

Learning Objectives:
  1. Identify the significance of skin-to-skin (STS) in an obstetrical operating room (OOR).
  2. Associate skin-to-skin (STS) in the OOR to improved maternal pain control.
  3. Differentiate between patient satisfaction with skin to skin in the OOR and previous birth experience.
Submission Description:
Purpose for the program:

A large body of evidence exists to support that skin-to-skin (STS) contact at birth is beneficial to newborns. Newborns that experience STS at the time of vaginal birth have better temperature stability, higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge, and better glucose levels. Implementing early skin to skin in the obstetrical operating room (OOR) can be challenging. However, there is a growing body of research to show that it can not only decrease maternal perception of pain while in the OOR, but increase maternal satisfaction with the birthing experience.      

Proposed change:

At a large women’s hospital, with more than 5000 deliveries annually, STS in the OOR on routine, repeat, scheduled cesarean deliveries was initiated.

Implementation, outcomes and evaluation:

Expected outcomes will be that the patient will report that her delivery experience was more meaningful and family-centered than what she experienced previously and she will not need any additional pain medication other than the initial, routine combined spinal dose.  

Maternal satisfaction was measured by a follow-up questionnaire, while maternal pain control was evaluated by reviewing the anesthesia record for any additional medications administered during the cesarean.  

Implications for nursing practice:

Nursing implications will include but not limited to insuring that the patient wants the infant placed on her skin immediately, insuring that the involved staff proceeds with the patients request, that proper equipment is used and placed in a manner that skin to skin is attainable. With the ultimate goal of translating STS in the OR on all qualifying cases to decrease maternal pain perception and increase satisfaction with birth experience.

 Keywords:

maternal, skin-to-skin, cesarean section, pain, satisfaction

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The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.