Improving Communication and Informed Consent Using a Birth Plan Decision Aid

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Identifier 2022_Sartori
Title Improving Communication and Informed Consent Using a Birth Plan Decision Aid
Creator Sartori, Brittney; Phares, Pamela
Subject Advanced Practice Nursing; Education, Nursing, Graduate; Parturition; Informed Consent; Patient Satisfaction; Decision Making; Patient Care Planning; Prenatal Care; Prenatal Education; Nurse Midwives; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Communication
Description Background: Birth plans are proven to have a positive impact on the birth experience and can be a useful tool for collaboration between patient and provider, but providers have historically seen little value in them. Sixty-six percent of providers do not recommend the use of birth plans to their patients, and 31% believe birth plans are associated with negative obstetrical outcomes despite the evidence. Through the creation of a shared decision-making tool, the birth plan can become a collaboration between patient and provider that improves communication, informed consent, expectations, and the birth experience. Methods: A quality improvement project was developed to create a shared decision-making tool for collaborative birth planning. Obstetrical providers were surveyed for their opinion of birth plans and suggestions for a collaborative birth plan. A birth plan decision aid was created from this feedback and implemented at prenatal appointments. These providers were then surveyed for feedback on the usefulness of the decision aid, suggestions for improvements, and barriers to implementation. Results: Survey results found obstetrical providers have less than favorable opinions about birth plans but were somewhat receptive to the use of a collaborative decision aid. The obstetrical providers that implemented the decision aid found it useful for improving communication yet reported only a slight improvement in their opinion of birth plans. None of the providers surveyed intended to continue using the decision aid due to perceived time constraints during prenatal appointments. Conclusions: Birth plans are an effective tool to include patients as active participants in their health care. More work needs to be done to determine factors that improve providers' opinions and valuation of birth plans, as well as factors that impede regular use of decision aids. More research is necessary to determine the impact of the birth plan decision aid on birth outcomes and patients' birth experiences. In addition, studies examining structural changes to prenatal appointments to promote collaborative birth planning need to be conducted.
Relation is Part of Graduate Nursing Project, Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP, Women's Health / Nurse Midwifery
Publisher Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Date 2022
Type Text
Rights
Holding Institution Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Language eng
ARK ark:/87278/s6vvyt5n
Setname ehsl_gradnu
ID 1939061
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6vvyt5n
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