Recognizing Urgent Maternal Warning Signs in the Postpartum Period Webinar

Pregnancy-related deaths can occur up to one year after the end of pregnancy. Native American, Alaska Native, and Black women are two to three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women. More than 80% of maternal deaths could be prevented.

Based on recommendations from the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM), this session will cover the importance of screening for and flagging urgent maternal warning signs to reduce the chance of missing postpartum warning signs—like cardiomyopathy—that can lead to death. Speakers will also share strategies and resources from AIM and the RHNTC that can support providers and staff to recognize and respond to urgent maternal warning signs.  

This session is intended for non-obstetrical clinical services providers and staff, and will feature three speakers with expertise in preventing pregnancy-related deaths. April Chavez is a maternal sepsis survivor and patient advocate; Elena Jenkins RN, BSN is a nurse manager who has worked on the implementation of AIM Patient Safety Bundles with multidisciplinary team members at the hospital level; and Dr. Tiffany Messerall DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB has worked on the development and implementation of AIM Patient Safety Bundles.
 
Speaker(s):

• April Chavez, Survivor, Patient Advocate, and Maternal Sepsis Spokeswoman for END SEPSIS.
• Elena Jenkins, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager and Team Lead for a hospital-based Birth Equity Initiative and AIM Clinical Champion
• Dr. Tiffany Messerall DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB, Evidence-Based Practice Lead for OhioHealth and AIM Clinical Champion

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of screening for current or recent pregnancy, particularly in the 12 months following a pregnancy.
2. Describe at least three urgent maternal warning signs that may occur up to a year after the end of a pregnancy.
3. Describe at least two strategies to address implicit bias and reduce maternal health disparities.
4. Identify at least two resources that can be used to learn more about recognizing and responding to urgent maternal warning signs.

This activity is pending approval to award contact hours by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., an approved provider with distinction of nursing professional development by the Northeast Multistate Division, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.