Advanced Practice Strategies (APS), a national leader in healthcare assessments, education, and analytics, is pleased to announce the launch of www.mothersbabiesfirst.com highlighting its work in the Mothers and Babies First Project established in cooperation with The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). The website was designed to showcase this first-of-its-kind research initiative exploring the efficacy of a blended learning model that incorporates online assessment-driven learning from APS with AWHONN’s instructor-led education.

“We read the report on the rise in maternal mortality and reviewed the data on increased adverse events in obstetrics and quickly mobilized with AWHONN,” said Lora Sparkman MHA BSN RN, APS VP of Clinical Effectiveness and Project Chair. “We are confident that there is a means to reduce these preventable outcomes and we believe education is the key.”

With a focus on the highest-risk areas of obstetrics medicine, the Mothers and Babies First project is examining the protocols and procedures of health systems using the AWHONN/GNOSIS blended education model for clinical improvements.  The mission is to identify and develop a prescriptive model of standardized implementation that is proven to yield results.

The research will study the correlation between innovation in education and improvements in clinical outcomes guided by the following obstetrical practice areas goals:

  1. Reduce delays in responding/acting to Category II and III electronic fetal monitoring tracings
  2. Improve Obstetric Hemorrhage cases (patient outcomes and reduced resource utilization)
  3. Improve the identification and effective and efficient treatment of mild, moderate and severe cases of hypertension
  4. Reduce Brachial Plexus Injuries in Shoulder Dystocia presentations with focus on team standards and communications.

Although a multi-year initiative, initial results will be presented at the 2017 Annual AWHONN Convention in June.

“We all have a responsibility to improve perinatal safety in hospitals across the U.S.,” said Lynn Erdman, CEO of AWHONN.  “The time to act is now and AWHONN and APS are pleased that leaders and experts in the perinatal safety movement have joined us to help develop a national call to action to improve and promote the health of women and newborns.”

For more information on The Mothers and Babies First Project, visit: www.mothersbabiesfirst.com.