title: Postnatal care in hospitals: ritual, routine or individualized.
abstract: Postnatal care in hospital continues to include routine recording of observations of temperature, pulse, blood pressure, fundal height, lochia and perineal injury on clinical pathways that allow little if any leeway for individualizing care. This paper discusses the issues of designing a new clinical pathway that encompasses best practice, is woman friendly and allows for individualized care rather than routine rituals.
authors.affiliation: Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilmour
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Twining
mesh_terms: D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D014739:Victoria; D016387:Women's Health