Common Postpartum Recovery - Observations On Implementation And Utilization

A common recovery (CR) policy designed to create an atmosphere for relaxation of parents with their baby while testing the concept that more comprehensive nursing care can be maintained was instituted 12/1/76. This elective alternative is offered as part of a family-centered maternity program with parents advised prenatally. A 6-hour period was arbitrarily fixed by physicians and nurses while defining physical setting, equipment, admission and discharge, maternal and infant care criteria and policies. CR takes place in single patient labor rooms supervised by labor and delivery nurses who have received instruction in neonatal risk identification and care. When rooming-in is also elected, an infant may not need, to enter the nursery. In a group of 95 families, average CR stay was 3.3 hours. 19 elected to terminate early due to fatigue. Five newborn complications of temperature instability (2), tachypnea (1), cardiac disease (1), hypoglycemia (1) and four maternal complications, postpartum hemorrhage (3) and hematoma (1) caused interruption. Gravidity and parity did not seem to influence outcome. No significant nursing, physician or parental incidents have been reported. We conclude that CR, utilizing labor rooms and allowing high quality risk identification by nurses while facilitating family interaction can be safely instituted, even in hospitals of relatively small size, when appropriate staff interest, policies, and education are present.