Time to listen: strategies to improve hospital-based postnatal care.
BACKGROUND
In Australia and internationally, women report high levels of dissatisfaction with hospital-based postnatal care.


OBJECTIVE
To design and implement strategies to improve hospital-based postnatal care at a Sydney metropolitan hospital.


METHODS
This was an Action Research study. In Phase One, midwives considered the literature and participated in group discussions and interviews to determine their perceptions of postnatal care and the factors that facilitate or hinder the provision of quality care. In Phase Two, midwives participated in 12 working group meetings to design strategies to improve care.


RESULTS
Several important principles of postnatal care were described, including building a relationship with women, meeting their individual needs, being flexible in approach and providing continuity of care. 'Listening to women', 'being there,' and 'normalising experiences and expectations' were believed to be critical to achieving these principles. A key strategy 'One to One Time' was designed to provide women with an uninterrupted period of time each day with a midwife who was available to listen to their needs and concerns and discuss issues related to their health and that of their baby.


CONCLUSIONS
Midwives designed and implemented strategies that they believed would improve in-hospital postnatal care.
Schmied
Virginia
V
University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing, Penrith, NSW, Australia. v.schmied@uws.edu.au
Cooke
Margaret
M
Gutwein
Rosalind
R
Steinlein
Elizabeth
E
Homer
Caroline
C
D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011787:Quality of Health Care