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Accompanying Nurse: The Effect of a New Model on the Satisfaction of Hospitalized Women in a High-Risk Pregnancy Unit

Friday, 11 July 2008: 8:50 AM
Tania Levy , High risk pregnancy unit, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
Hana Kerzman, RN, PhD , Nursing Division, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

Learning Objective 1: Evaluate women's satisfaction from hospitalization with the customary support model used today in comparison with new “accompany nurse” model

Learning Objective 2: Evaluate the quality of counseling during hospitalization in HRPU

Women exhibiting mother- or fetus-related problems are hospitalized at a high risk pregnancy unit (HRPU) from the 24th week of their pregnancy. The hospitalization ranges from a few days up to a few months. The transition from normal functioning and routine to hospitalization raises numerous concerns regarding the continuity of regular life (family, children and work) in addition to that the pregnancy itself. These changes arouse the need for an address to which they can turn and who will accompany them throughout hospitalization as a source of comfort and support. To provide this support, a new model of an "accompany nurse" was developed.

Goals: Assessment of patient satisfaction with the customary support model used today in comparison with new “accompany nurse” model.

Methods: Participants were recruited from women's hospitalized for one week or longer. The questionnaire, specially constructed, included items regarding the demographic characteristics, satisfaction with the counseling as well as satisfaction from the attitudes expressed by the care-giving staff.

Results: 55 women participated in the research; 54.5% had been assigned an accompany nurse whereas 45.5% were not. A significantly higher level of satisfaction with admission procedures and care-giving staff attitudes was indicated by the women assigned an accompany nurse. With respect to questions or difficulties, a higher rate of patients turned to the accompany nurse as opposed to the head nurse or the physician.

Conclusions: The contact with an "accompany nurse", which created an opportunity to establish a personal relationship immediately upon admission, provided the women with a sense of security, sympathy and support that contributed to her satisfaction from nursing care. The findings imply that use of the “accompany nurse” model should be extended to more patients and units. In addition, the training process for nurses qualified to participate in the program should be extended.

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