Birth Plans: Encouraging Patient Engagement

Patient engagement is defined as a set of actions by patients, family members, and health-care providers that promotes patients and family members as active participants of the health-care team. As focus turns toward patient engagement where patients have an active role in their health care, childbirth educators and nurses are in a position to support patient choices. The focus is to assist the engaged woman to stay engaged and to encourage those not engaged to become engaged. The results can be improved patient care outcomes and improved patient satisfaction. One way to promote patient engagement can be the birth plan. This process can be facilitated through education of choices and assisting with writing choices into a formal birth plan.