Date of Graduation

Spring 5-18-2023

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Nicole Beamish

Second Advisor

Jennifer Zesati

Abstract

Cesarean deliveries can increase the risk of maternal and newborn complications. A cost-effective method to reduce unnecessary cesarean deliveries is through maternal repositioning during the first and second stages of labor. Research has shown that flexible sacrum positions such as standing, squatting, kneeling, lunging, hands and knees, side-lying, and use of a peanut ball reduces the duration of labor, lowers rates of cesarean deliveries, and promotes fetal descent. This project aims to increase nurse confidence in these evidence-based labor positions by implementing nurse education in the labor and delivery unit at a Bay Area County hospital. A pre-survey identified current confidence level and practices used for maternal positioning, and showed a gap in knowledge among the staff nurses due to their various degrees of training. An educational intervention was implemented among nurses through an educational handout, live demonstrations of the positions, and a video outlining labor positions based on stages of labor. Results of the post-survey showed that nurse education on evidence-based labor positions effectively increased nurse confidence levels of these positions. This project suggests that standardization of evidence-based positions should be adopted into the unit as new practice.

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