Many postpartum nurses are not up to speed with knowledge of maternal morbidity and mortality, according to a study published in MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing.
For the study, researchers surveyed 372 nurses who provide postpartum care to mothers.
The study found 15 percent of respondents knew the current U.S. rate of maternal mortality and 12 percent accurately reported the number of postpartum deaths.
Additionally, most nurses (88 percent) failed to identify the leading causes of maternal mortality, and a majority of nurses (67 percent) "spent less than 10 minutes focusing on potential warning signs" when mothers were discharged, researchers said.
The study also found nearly all nurses (95 percent) "reported a correlation between postpartum education and mortality; however, only 72 percent strongly agreed it was their responsibility to provide this education."
Age played a role in nurses' confidence with information. Researchers said nurses over 40 were "significantly more likely" to say they felt "very competent" when providing education on postpartum complications.
"The majority of nurses in this study were not up-to-date on the rates and timing of maternal mortality during the postpartum period in the United States. They did not always provide comprehensive education to all women prior to discharge from the hospital after childbirth," the study authors wrote.
They concluded, "There is a need for nurses to provide consistent messages about potential warning signs that may ultimately reduce maternal death and severity of maternal complications."