Frequency of nursing, physician and hospital interventions in women at risk for preterm delivery

To determine the frequency of nursing intervention, physician treatment and hospital evaluation for women receiving outpatient management services for preterm labor.

Outpatient services included: patient education; daily and as-needed nursing assessment of monitored uterine activity (MUA) and patient symptoms; treatment compliance; and physician notification for values exceeding established limits. We analyzed service data from women with singleton gestations at 20.0-34.9 weeks.

Overall, 307 249 days of data from 10 660 women were reviewed, and 634 983 hours of MUA was assessed. On 53 665 (17.5%) of monitored days, patients exhibited increased MUA and/or symptoms of preterm labor with nursing intervention and reassessment. Physician notification/intervention was required 7316 (13.6%) times, and hospital admission was needed for 3163 (43.2%) of these patients. In the hospital 1400 (44.3%) patients received tocolysis. The mean ( +/- standard deviation) length of hospital stay was 3.2 +/- 7.2 days, and 428 (13.5%) of women remained hospitalized until delivery, with 324 (10.2%) delivering within 48 h.

In this population of women receiving outpatient preterm-labor management services, 95.1% of excessive MUA or patient-reported symptoms of preterm labor were managed on an outpatient basis. Outpatient management allowed for appropriate identification and triage of women requiring hospital admission.