Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementing Intermittent Fetal Monitoring In Low-Risk Laboring Moms, Kaitlynn Keel, Jessica Manion

Scholars Week

It has become common practice for laboring moms to remain attached to monitors throughout the duration of their labor, known as continuous electronic fetal monitoring (CEFM). Although this is the new normal in the world of labor and delivery, there has been speculation as to whether or not this is evidence-based. Specifically, moms in labor that are considered low-risk should not be bound to the bed for their entire labor for this continuous monitoring, in fact, research actually supports that CEFM leads to unnecessary interventions that negatively impact both mom and neonate.

Emphasizing The Importance Of Clustering Care For Newborns In The Nicu Setting, Callie Hines Sn, Alyssa Howell Sn, Elizabeth Crews Sn

Scholars Week

For our Evidence-Based Project, we have chosen to cover the topic concerning clustering care for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. In many NICU's across the country preterm infants are taken care of on an as needed basis. Research and Swanson’s theory of caring supports that clustering care has a positive correlation with the improvement of vital signs, physical and intellectual development, and infection control.

Eat, Sleep, Console, Claire Hauke, Grace Hauke

Scholars Week

Eat, Sleep, Console is a scale used to assess opioid withdrawing neonates. This scale focuses on infant function and comfort, rather than treating infants based on signs and symptoms of withdrawal alone.

The Importance Of Educating Adolescent Mothers In The Postpartum Period, Sydney Price, Madelyn Travis, Reagan Schwable

Scholars Week

Due to the lack of policy or procedure for individualized education for adolescent mothers, we concluded that a educational checklist in the charting system would be the most effective way to properly educate young mothers during this confusing stage in their life. Specific education helps to improve perceived quality of care, safety/wellbeing in the young mother and newborn, and reducing the risks of complications such as postpartum depression or issues with pregnancy later on. In summary, ensuring that teenage mothers are fully educated before discharge will provide for better mother and baby outcomes.

The Positive Effects Of Delayed Immersion Bathing For Newborns, Aubrey Stuart

Scholars Week

Problem: Newborn infants were once bathed only 2-4 hours after birth. The rate at which newborns experienced hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and a difficulty with exclusive breastfeeding was once much higher than it is today.

Methods: This project was a meta-analysis of multiple clinical trials regarding delayed infant bathing. Three main studies that implemented a 24 hour or later bathing program were chosen and reviewed to assess for trends in hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and the exclusive breastfeeding rates of newborns.

Results: In each study reviewed, the rates of hypoglycemia and hypothermia decreased while the rates of exclusive breastfeeding increased.

Implications: By delaying newborn …

Too Loud: A Project For Sound Reduction In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Peyton Cadwell, Amy Krazl

Scholars Week

Sound levels in any intensive care unit environment are significantly higher than the recommended volume. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is included in this aggregate that frequently exceeds advised levels. There are consequences associated with increased sound, such as slower language development and behavior issues. Not only are babies subjected to physiological effects, but there is potential for psychological detriment as well, such as behavioral issues (Bremmer, 2003). Many solutions for this issue have been proposed, including lowering phone volumes, putting rubber shoes on furniture and switching audio alarms to visual alarms. One specific intervention that may reduce the …

How To Control Healthcare Associated Infection, Yeojin Son, Jungyoon Hur

Scholars Week

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) are infections patients acquire while receiving care in hospital. The main reasons of occurring the infections are insufficient knowledge about infection control and decreased compliance with rules by hospital protocol. The purpose of this evidence-based presentation is to exemplify how to control HAI via motivating healthcare workers to comply with infection control policy.

Evidence-Based Practice: Delaying Infant Bathing, Gabrielle Wadle, Grace Frankland

Scholars Week

A hospital's policy regarding infant bathing is currently not congruent with best nursing practice. The hospital’s current policy is to bathe an infant once they are stable and their rectal temperature is at or above 98.6 °F. Although the infant may become stable within the first 24-hours of birth, the World Health Organization recommends that, “Bathing should be delayed until 24 hours after birth.” (2013, p. 4). Research has been completed to support delaying infant bathing until 24 hours post-delivery, suggesting potential modifications to current policy.

Couplet Care, Melanie Husk

Scholars Week

Abstract

In many recent studies, maternity units in hospitals have been making the transition from traditional separate care for the mother and baby to couplet care for the mother and baby. (Brenneman, 2014; Abney-Roberts, 2012; Backus, 2017) Couplet care is family-centered care in which the mother and the baby stay together from childbirth until discharge. (Emory-Decatur, 2019) Studies have shown that this form of care has many benefits for both the mother and the baby. Parents become more educated on how to care for their newborn and infants gain the foundation for how they will develop socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. …

Music Therapy In The Labor & Delivery Setting, Erin Windham

Scholars Week

My presentation addresses the need as well as informs you of the benefits of having a policy that allows for music therapy interventions to be implemented in the labor and delivery setting to aid in pain and stress management.

Requiring That Information On Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Options Be Provided Prior To Admission To The L&D Unit, Leighton Terrell

Scholars Week

This research project covers the topic of educating expectant mothers on the options for umbilical cord blood banking or donation. Through the research, it was determined exactly what umbilical cord blood banking was and the types of banking available. Umbilical cord blood banking has many benefits and has been proven to help treat various diseases. Transplantation of umbilical cord blood stem cells rather than bone marrow has improved the cure rates and survival rates of many treatments. Since the first transplantation in 1988, multiple lives have been changed, some even saved, by using blood that has been taken from an …

Choosing A Vaginal Birth After A Cesarean Rather Than A Repeat Elective Cesarean Delivery, Sydney Carter

Scholars Week

The VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) rate has been increasing over the recent years. However, it is still a much lower rate as compared to 1996. During this time uterine rupture instances and maternal mortality rates were found to have increased. As a result, facilities over corrected and stopped offering VBACs as an option. Current research shows they are actually safer than a cesarean but most facilities do not offer this option. The purpose of this policy change is to increase the rate of VBACs by providing good education to expectant mothers through their nurses.

Delayed Newborn Bathing, Trisha Freudenberg

Scholars Week

Abstract:

The title of this paper is Delayed Newborn Bathing. The purpose of this project was to research the evidence and literature that supports the need for a delayed newborn bath. The project discusses the benefits of a delayed bath and what affect it has on the infant’s temperature, blood sugar/blood glucose, and exclusive breast feeding rates. Three evidence-based research studies have been presented within this project (“Impact on delayed newborn bathing one exclusive breastfeeding rates, glucose, and temperature stability, and weight loss”, “Initiative to improve exclusive breastfeeding by delaying the newborn bath”, and “Effects of delayed newborn bathing on …

Nursing Interventions For Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Sierra Harris

Scholars Week

This project serves to explore evidence for three nursing interventions aimed at neonatal abstinence syndrome including: breastfeeding, kangaroo care, and rooming-in. Many nursing interventions and policies are aimed at treating the symptoms despite limited research supporting their effectiveness. Further investigation into these interventions and policies regarding neonatal abstinence syndrome needs to be addressed in order to improve the quality of care for affected neonates and decrease the stigma surrounding neonatal abstinence syndrome.