Staffing enough nurses in this unit can lead to improved outcomes for mothers and their newborns.
A new study shows that when nurse staffing in labor and delivery is adequate, C-section rates go down. This research, published in Nursing Outlook, points to how staffing levels directly impact the outcomes for mothers and babies during childbirth. In the United States, close to one-third of all births are by C-section, and while these surgeries can be lifesaving, they come with higher risks and longer recovery times than vaginal deliveries.
Nurses play a key role in childbirth. They offer both physical and emotional support, monitor the health of the mother and baby, and give medication when needed. When hospitals are short-staffed, nurses often have to focus only on the most urgent tasks, leaving other aspects of care to be overlooked. Wait times for these services compound, sometime compromising the health of mothers-to-be and leaving their unborn babies at risk.
The study explored how well hospitals followed staffing guidelines set by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). These guidelines recommend having one nurse for each laboring person, two nurses present during an actual birth, and one nurse for each mother and newborn in the hours right after delivery. Researchers surveyed nearly 2,800 nurses across 193 hospitals, collecting data from 2018 and 2019. They then compared this with hospital records of C-sections and vaginal births.
The results were clear: Hospitals with better nurse staffing had lower C-section rates and higher rates of vaginal births, including among mothers who had previously had C-sections. In fact, C-section rates were 11 percent lower in hospitals that followed staffing standards closely.
Experts have been concerned about high C-section rates in the U.S. for years, but progress has been slow. This study points to nurse staffing as a key factor in helping reduce these rates. It suggests that hospitals should invest in adequate nurse staffing to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
While increasing nurse staffing can be expensive, the study’s authors argue that the cost is offset by savings from fewer C-sections, shorter hospital stays, and fewer complications. C-sections are costly procedures, and better staffing during labor could lead to fewer of them.
One challenge is that hospital administrators often view nursing as a cost to be cut rather than an investment. However, as the research shows, more nurses can actually help save money in the long run by preventing costly surgeries and improving patient safety.
To help drive change, the researchers suggest that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should consider setting standards for nurse staffing, as part of their efforts to improve maternity care. By adopting these staffing guidelines, hospitals could provide better care and lower the likelihood of unnecessary C-sections.
The study was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and its findings highlight the importance of ensuring that maternity units are properly staffed to support the health of both mothers and their babies. In the end, improving nurse staffing isn’t just about reducing costs, but about giving mothers and babies the best chance for a safe and healthy delivery.
Sources:
Adequate nurse staffing linked to lower C-section rates
Relationship between nurse staffing during labor and cesarean birth rates in U.S. hospitals
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