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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
MCHbest. Postpartum Visit.

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Strategy. Provider Training and Education

Approach. Train perinatal nurses to education patients on potential postpartum complications that may require treatment after discharge

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Overview. Perinatal nurses can be trained to provide postpartum patient education on the potential complications and warning signs that may require treatment after hospital discharge.[1,2,3] Training courses about postpartum depression and other leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity can help nurses provide patient education on signs and symptoms that may require immediate medical attention during the postpartum period.[2,3,4] However, continued research focusing on best practices for providing postpartum education and methods to disseminate this information is warranted.[5,6]

Evidence. Emerging Evidence. Strategies with this rating typically trend positive and have good potential to work...

Access the peer-reviewed evidence through the MCH Digital Library or related evidence source.

Potential Data Sources. Data to support this strategy can be accessed through:

  • Provider knowledge, attitude, and belief survey data
  • Post-intervention patient survey data
  • Health care system implementation data
  • EHR Reports Outcome data on maternal/infant health

Outcome Components. This strategy has shown to have impact on the following outcomes (Read more about these categories):

  • Quality of Care. This strategy promotes the degree to which healthcare services meet established standards aimed at achieving optimal health outcomes.

Detailed Outcomes. For specific outcomes related to each study supporting this strategy, access the peer-reviewed evidence and read the Intervention Results for each study.

Intervention Type. Health Teaching (Education and Promotion) (Read more about intervention types and levels as defined by the Public Health Intervention Wheel).

Intervention Level. Individual/Family-Focused

Examples from the Field. There are currently no ESMs that use this strategy. Search similar intervention components in the ESM database.

Sample ESMs. Here are sample ESMs to use as models for your own measures using the RBA framework (see The Role of Title V in Adapting Strategies).

Quadrant 1:
Measuring Quantity of Effort (“What/how much did we do?”)

  • Number of perinatal nurses who complete training on educating patients about potential postpartum complications and warning signs that may require treatment after discharge. (Measures the reach and scale of the workforce development strategy)
  • Number of healthcare systems, hospitals, and professional organizations that adopt and integrate postpartum complication education training for perinatal nurses into their standard protocols and curricula. (Assesses the uptake and institutionalization of the strategy)

Quadrant 2:
Measuring Quality of Effort (“How well did we do it?”)

  • Percent of perinatal nurse training programs on postpartum complication education that adhere to evidence-based content and adult learning principles. (Measures the quality and fidelity of the workforce development intervention)
  • Percent of healthcare systems, hospitals, and professional organizations that adopt and integrate postpartum complication education training for perinatal nurses into their standard protocols and curricula. (Assesses the uptake and institutionalization of the strategy)

Quadrant 3:
Measuring Quantity of Effect (“Is anyone better off?”)

  • Number of postpartum patients who demonstrate increased knowledge, awareness, and self-efficacy in recognizing and responding to potential complications after receiving education from trained perinatal nurses. (Measures the learning and support outcomes of the patient education intervention)
  • Number of perinatal nurses who report increased confidence, competence, and job satisfaction in providing postpartum complication education and supporting patients' safe transitions from hospital to home. (Assesses the workforce capacity and engagement outcomes of the training intervention)
  • Number of healthcare systems and payers that demonstrate improved patient outcomes, care quality, and cost savings through the implementation of perinatal nurse training on postpartum complication education. (Measures the healthcare value and return on investment of the strategy)
  • Number of perinatal nurses who become recognized as leaders, champions, and educators in promoting patient safety, support, and care transitions in the postpartum period. (Assesses the professional development and support outcomes of the training intervention)

Quadrant 4:
Measuring Quality of Effect (“How are they better off?”)

  • Percent of postpartum patients who demonstrate increased knowledge, awareness, and self-efficacy in recognizing and responding to potential complications after receiving education from trained perinatal nurses. (Measures the learning and support outcomes of the patient education intervention)
  • Percent of perinatal nurses who report increased confidence, competence, and job satisfaction in providing postpartum complication education and supporting patients' safe transitions from hospital to home. (Assesses the workforce capacity and engagement outcomes of the training intervention)
  • Percent of healthcare systems and payers that demonstrate improved patient outcomes, care quality, and cost savings through the implementation of perinatal nurse training on postpartum complication education. (Measures the healthcare value and return on investment of the strategy)
  • Percent of perinatal nurses who become recognized as leaders, champions, and educators in promoting patient safety, support, and care transitions in the postpartum period. (Assesses the professional development and support outcomes of the training intervention)

Note. When looking at your ESMs, SPMs, or other strategies:

  1. Move from measuring quantity to quality.
  2. Move from measuring effort to effect.
  3. Quadrant 1 strategies should be used sparingly, when no other data exists.
  4. The most effective measurement combines strategies in all levels, with most in Quadrants 2 and 4.

Learn More. Read how to create stronger ESMs and how to measure ESM impact more meaningfully through Results-Based Accountability.

References

[1] Suplee, P. D., Kleppel, L., & Bingham, D. (2016). Discharge Education on Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Provided by Nurses to Women in the Postpartum Period. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN, 45(6), 894–904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2016.07.006. [2] Suplee, P. D., D'Oria, R., Larson, K., Kilday, D., Eymold, C., & Onokpise, B. (2023). An Initiative to Improve Postpartum Discharge Education. Nursing for women's health, 27(4), 270–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2023.04.007.
[3] Lewis N. L. (2020). Developing a Hospital-Based Postpartum Depression Education Intervention for Perinatal Nurses. Journal for nurses in professional development, 36(1), 7–11. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000595.
[4] de Los Reyes, S., Al-Khaled, D., Brito, K., Kholmatov, M., Farley, B., Kuriloff, M., Stamos, G., Victorson, D., & Plunkett, B. (2022). AWHONN postpartum discharge education: patient knowledge and sustainability. BMJ open quality, 11(4), e001528. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2021-001528].
[5] Suplee, P. D., Bingham, D., & Kleppel, L. (2017). Nurses' Knowledge and Teaching of Possible Postpartum Complications. MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing, 42(6), 338–344. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000371].
[6] McCarter, D., Law, A. A., Cabullo, H., & Pinto, K. (2022). Scoping Review of Postpartum Discharge Education Provided by Nurses. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN, 51(4), 377–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2022.03.002

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.