AWHONN Staffing Guidelines

[doglover21]

Can someone please copy in the new guidelines that just recently came out? My AWHONN membership ran out and I cannot download the guidelines.

[Emberanna]

I want too but the file won't let me cut/paste and it is a lot to write. Which staffing are you most interested in? The one that pertains to my job is: the ratio for normal healthy mother/ baby couplets should be no more than 1:3. And the statement goes on to specify that ancillary staff, charge nurses, and lactation consultants should not be included in this ratio, they should be in addition to this.

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

The new guidlelines are 56 pages long.

[Emberanna]

Somehow I can't imagine the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and other such professional organizations being so blatantly ignored as AWHONNs have been.

[doglover21]

Wow 56 pages. I will need to get my hands on a copy. Thanks for letting me know Mother/Baby was three couplets. I am also interested in knowing about high risk post-partum patients still on Mag sulfate. We take these patients on the post-partum floor and are included in our normal mother/baby couplet care.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Actually, M/B guidelines are 3-4 couplets per AWHONN.

If you google "AWHONN staffing guidelines" it actually links you to a previous discussion here. The post is from SmilingBluEyes, and it lists all of AWHONN staffing recommendations.

[doglover21]

I thought those were the old guidelines. New ones were just released a couple weeks ago

[klone, MSN, RN]

I thought those were the old guidelines. New ones were just released a couple weeks ago

Oh! Did not know that.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I was able to download a tiny snippet from AWHONN's website, and it specifically addressed MgSO4.

For antepartum, it's recommended 1:1 for first hour, then 1:2 thereafter. UNLESS the patient is actively contracting (PTL), then it's 1:1.

It doesn't talk about postpartum MgSO4, though. Sorry!