Mother-Baby Nurses' Experience with Sudden Unexpected Postnatal Collapse.

Abstract

Purpose: Failure to rescue is the inability to prevent death by timely diagnosis and treatment of a complication. Nurses have a duty to surveil, identify crisis indicators, and take action when necessary. A gap exists in resuscitation literature about mother-baby nurses' experiences identifying neonatal or sudden unexpected postnatal collapse (SUPC) and taking action once discovered, two components of rescue that are critical to quality care. To address the gap, this study investigated mother-baby nurses' experiences identifying and taking action during SUPC.

Study design and methods: For this qualitative descriptive study, mother-baby nurses from three hospitals in Colorado who experienced SUPC participated in semi-structured individual interviews.

Results: Six mother-baby nurses were interviewed in 2021 or 2022. They ranged in age from 29 to 48 years and had between 5 and 25 years of experience. Five of the nurses had completed the Neonatal Resuscitation Program course. Qualitative content analysis revealed two themes. The Assumption of Well represents factors related to identifying SUPC: Family Bonding, Mother-Baby Unit Environment, Teamwork, and Nursing Practice. The Balancing Act of Mother-Baby Nursing highlights those related to taking action: Physical Environment, Patient Experience/Satisfaction, Interdepartmental Culture, and A Low Volume Event.

Clinical implications: Mother-baby nurses, who navigate many challenges as they identify and react to SUPC, should be cognizant of its potential influencing factors. Suggestions for organizations such as increased nurse education, parent education, and nurse staffing based on national standards are provided to optimize nurses' ability to identify and treat SUPC.