Implementing a Cardiovascular Screening Tool for High-Risk Pregnant Women in a Hospital Setting

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular health in pregnancy
• Quality improvement in obstetrics
• Evidence-based nursing interventions

Background:

• High-risk pregnancies necessitate proactive cardiovascular assessment.
• Early identification of cardiovascular risks can improve maternal outcomes.
• Standardized screening tools enhance clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a cardiovascular screening tool for high-risk pregnant women.
• To determine the need for additional testing and specialty consultation.
• To enhance cardiovascular care in a high-risk obstetric unit.

Main Methods:

• Quality improvement project utilizing the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Care.
• Implementation of a cardiovascular screening tool by registered nurses on a high-risk obstetric unit.
• Screening conducted for women aged 19+ admitted during February-March 2020.

Main Results:

• The screening tool was completed for 31 high-risk pregnant women over two months.
• Four women (12.9%) screened positive, indicating a need for further evaluation.
• The tool successfully identified pregnant women requiring additional interventions.

Conclusions:

• The cardiovascular screening tool effectively identified high-risk pregnant women.
• Further research is needed to validate the tool's impact on long-term maternal outcomes.
• Routine screening may improve management of cardiovascular conditions in pregnancy.