I enhanced Maternal & Newborn Nursing during Spring 2018 semester.  This class was challenging as it incorporated how to care for a woman during the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum period along with the newborn.  Throughout this class I responsible for understanding the overall care of a pregnant woman from proper medications, correct testing, and what was normal vs. abnormal in during first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.  In order to make this class an enhancement, I took on a semester long research study that focused on postpartum hemorrhage, and how new evidence based research has worked to improve maternal outcomes.  Throughout my research I learned how devastating postpartum hemorrhage can be for the mother as well as the family, and that it does not necessarily have to take place immediately after birth.  Unfortunately, a mother can be at risk for postpartum hemorrhage up to 12 weeks after birth.

After my research was finished, the information concluded that with proper nursing interventions, the risk of postpartum hemorrhage can be drastically reduced if not eliminated.  The key to preventing, and stopping the hemorrhage from occurring is also making sure the mother, and family members are properly educated on the signs and symptoms, as well as the following steps if those signs and symptoms do occur.  At the end of the year during a clinical rotation, I was able to apply my research to a patient case, and help educate her on how to reduce her chances of hemorrhaging, and how the nurses would intervene on the postpartum floor after delivery to help her recovery.  Attached is a photo of Kellen Spradlin and I presenting our research at the Cormier Honors Research Day this past spring semester!