Date of Graduation

Winter 12-12-2025

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

Scout E. Hebnick, MSN, RN-C

Abstract

Objective: The 22-bed Labor and Delivery (L&D) unit lacks a standardized model to introduce doulas, clarify their scope of practice, or communicate the value of the services they provide. To address this gap, the team developed a standardized doula awareness poster featuring each doula's name, photo, years of experience, and personal interests. Aim: Enhance visibility and promote the integration of doula support to strengthen team collaboration and patient engagement. Methods: A pre- and post-implementation survey was distributed exclusively to the volunteer doulas. After the doula awareness poster was displayed for four weeks, a post-survey assessed these same domains to determine changes in visibility, role clarity, and team integration. Results: Post-intervention responses from the doulas showed increased feelings of visibility, improved perception that patients and staff understood their role, and strengthened a sense of integration within the L&D team. After intervention, the percentage of doulas who felt consistently supported doubled from 15.4% to 30%. Rarely feeling supported dropped to 0%. Conclusion: The implementation of a doula awareness poster improved visibility, role clarity, and integration of volunteer doulas within the L&D microsystem. Ongoing updates to the poster and continued staff education are recommended to sustain and further enhance doula-staff collaboration.

Download

Share

COinS