Date of Award

Summer 2024

Project Type

Thesis

College or School

CHHS

Department

Nursing

Program or Major

Nursing

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Deborah Simonton

Second Advisor

Pamela Kallmerten

Abstract

Background: The advancements of technology has led to a substantial increase in the use of pregnancy applications among expecting parents. Studies indicate that a majority of pregnant individuals utilize virtual education platforms for various purposes, including accessing information on nutrition, exercise, baby development, and pregnancy symptoms. Despite the potential benefits, participation in these platforms remains low, emphasizing a need for enhanced resources and engagement strategies. Research shows that engagement with antenatal education through mobile applications can lead to improved maternal and fetal outcomes, such as reduced rates of caesarean births and fewer complications related to hypertension or preeclampsia.

Methods: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework was utilized to guide the quality improvement project focused on increasing patient enrollment in a virtual education platform. Pre- and post- intervention data were collected to measure the increase of patient participation in the application after resources were posted. This data was then analyzed with Microsoft Excel to determine statistical difference and percent increase in the platform enrollment numbers.

Intervention: In an attempt to increase patient participation in the virtual education platform, informational posters were hung in the microsystems triage rooms to better assist patients with enrollment using a QR or text code. These posters included patient-centered questions such as “What is an induction?” and “How do I plan to feed my baby?.”

Results: To enhance patient participation in the virtual education platform at TFP, the baseline number of enrolled clients was recorded at the start of the data collection period. Initially, there were 317 patients signed up for the platform with a specific goal of 430 patients to be enrolled at the end of the data collection period in July 2024. The post-intervention data yielded patient enrollment in the education platform to be 439, showing a 38% increase in patients over the study period. A paired t-test was completed to determine the validity of this analysis, finding a p-value of 0.026. This significant difference supported the effective increase in patient enrollment in virtual application to enhance perinatal education among expecting parents.

Conclusions: By providing patient-centered posters in the triage rooms, patients were informed about this virtual education platform while waiting to be admitted or waiting to be assessed. The posters gave patients several ways to sign up for the platform, making the sign-up process simpler. Promoting and emphasizing the importance of perinatal education provided both the mother and neonate with improve health outcomes, as well as the ability to feel more confident during pregnancy and postpartum.

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