The Fourth Trimester of Pregnancy: New Recommendations for Optimizing Postpartum Care- 2CH

Course overview

Course overview: Postpartum care can set the stage for optimal maternal and infant health. Unfortunately, maternal mortality rates in the United States have increased steadily over the past 30 years and continue to climb. In early 2018, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new recommendations to optimize postpartum care. These recommendations propose changes to the postpartum care timeline, elements, and care team. Nurses fill many of the care team roles. This course presents the new guidelines for postpartum care of women, as well as how the nurse is uniquely positioned as a crucial member of the care team. The course reviews the basic physiology of the postpartum period as well as the most significant medical complaints and complications that arise and contribute to morbidity and mortality. The nurse should be able to counsel pregnant and postpartum women regarding expectant postpartum care. This course also discusses the health policy changes needed to implement these new recommendations, and how the nurse can advocate for postpartum women as part of this process. Learning outcome By completing this course, the nurse will have a better understanding of patient needs during the postpartum period as well as a need for health-care policy changes to support optimal postpartum care. Course objectives By the end of this course, the learner should be able to: • Define the postpartum period. • Identify the comprehensive health needs specific to postpartum women. • Describe the crisis of maternal mortality in the United States. • Discuss risk factors and disparities that contribute to adverse postpartum outcomes. • Identify core members of the postpartum care team. • Discuss the changes needed in health-care policy to support optimal postpartum care for women. • Recognize nursing’s role in counseling pregnant and postpartum women.