Date
7-21-2022
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Dorothy Murphy
Primary Subject Area
Health Sciences, General
Keywords
Perinatal Loss, Emergency Nurses, Chart Audit and Feedback, Education
Disciplines
Medical Sciences | Nursing
Recommended Citation
Tillas, Rachel Kathleen, "The Effectiveness of a Chart Audit and Education Intervention to Improve RTS Referral Rates and Confidence in Emergency Nurses Delivering Care to Patients Experiencing Perinatal Loss" (2022). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 3747.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3747
Abstract
Perinatal loss is a significant event in a woman’s life that can have both physical and psychological impacts. Women with perinatal loss often seek care in emergency settings. Research shows that nurses working in emergency settings lack confidence in caring for this patient population, and women who seek care for perinatal loss in the emergency department are dissatisfied with their care. Resolve through sharing (RTS) is an evidence-based approach to bereavement care that offers resources and training to organizations and healthcare professionals. RTS can help bridge the education gap among emergency nurses caring for patients experiencing perinatal loss, be used to guide nurses’ care for this patient population and provide resources for these patients. Under the framework of the Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice, the purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a chart audit and educational intervention with the aim of improving emergency room nurses’ confidence in caring for patients with perinatal loss and increasing RTS referral rates. The objectives of this project were to: 1) improve emergency nurses’ performance in documenting RTS referral and 2) improve emergency nurses’ perception of confidence in delivering care to patients experiencing perinatal loss. Data analysis revealed an improvement in emergency nurses’ perception of confidence in delivering care to patients experiencing perinatal loss but did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in documentation of RTS referral rates. This project provided the opportunity to create, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based practice initiative aimed at improving health care quality. Further, this project has provided a foundation for future clinical initiatives aimed at improving emergency care for patients experiencing perinatal loss.
