Date of Graduation

Spring 5-15-2025

Document Access

Restricted Project/Capstone - USF access only

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Scout Hebinck, MSN, RNC–OB

Abstract

Lack of understanding of the doula role from labor and delivery nurses negatively impact the willingness for collaboration between the volunteer doulas and labor and delivery services at Hospital A. The negative attitudes towards volunteer doulas disproportionally affect laboring patients from marginalized communities and those experiencing complications by nurses’ refusal to offer volunteer doula services. The aim of this quality improvement project is to improve the understanding of the volunteer doula scope of practice amongst labor and delivery nurses, increasing positive perception and collaboration between both professions by increasing doula presentation to patients from 63% to 88%, following educational intervention at monthly unit-based council meeting on March 25th, 2025. Pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys were collected from labor and delivery nurses at Hospital A. 84% of the nurses in attendance at the council meeting answered that they had an increased understanding of the scope of practice of the volunteer doula and a 21% increase in labor and delivery nurse and volunteer doula collaboration was observed. The educational intervention proved to be effective at addressing collaboration between labor and delivery nurses and volunteer doulas, however future quality improvement project should consider addressing communication breakdown between the two and enhancing doula charting.

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