PREECLAMPSIA IN PREGNANCY: BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the methods and interventions associated with the prevention of preeclampsia, as well as suggest best practice recommendations that can be proposed to nurses that care for women with preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States, and is associated with severe complications such as HELLP syndrome and preterm birth. Preventative measures and educational programs can be given to limit the likelihood of preeclampsia in new and existing mothers. The best practice recommendations presented at the end of this thesis are based on clinical practice guidelines and a literature review of recommendations for preventing preeclampsia. This literature review was conducted using databases such as Ebsco, Google Scholar, and Pubmed. Additionally, terms used in the search for literature included “preeclampsia”, “prevention”, “integrative health”, “maternal mortality” and “holistic medicine”, and only literature published between the years of 2017 and 2023 was included. The best practice recommendations are for use in the professional nursing realm, specifically to aid nurses in educating new or existing mothers in how to best prevent preeclampsia before, during, and after pregnancy. The recommendations were created based on evidence-supported research and existing clinical practice guidelines, and are presented with a proposed plan for implementation and evaluation of the recommendations.