Transforming Health Reducing Post-Partum Depression in Clinical Practice

Abstract

An estimated 10-20% of women are diagnosed with post-partum depression (PPD) within their first year after childbirth. New mothers are currently taught essentials in caring for their newborn infants; little emphasis, however, is placed on signs and symptoms of post-partum depression. The purpose of this quality improvement project was designed to address the gap in patient education at hospital discharge and to increase referrals to outpatient behavioral health services, thus, improving patient outcomes. This quality improvement project investigated if postpartum women who received education regarding PPD detection at Mountain Vista Medical Center and those who were deemed at risk for PPD according to the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) received referrals for outpatient behavioral services from the nursing staff compared to the current standard of using half of the EPDS tool. This project was guided by the Nurse Communication Framework, and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The Plan, Do, Study, and Act quality improvement model helped to achieve the two specific aims of this quality improvement project: (1) provide an educational program for nursing staff to heighten their awareness of PPD and teach them how to administer the EPDS; (2) implement change in practice to have new mothers assessed for PPD risk using EPDS for 80% of the discharges. The use of the EPDS tool for discharge went from 50% to 85% exceeding the goal of this quality improvement project.