Discharge education

[Obnurseamber06]

This may be elsewhere, what do you do for newborn discharge teaching? Does someone speak to the mother in the room at one time (about everything, circ care, cord care, feeding, diapers), or do you go in and specifically talk about one thing. We are thinking about a paper with everything you need to speak about before being discharged.

I believe education should be done when you first start doing whatever there is to be educated about.

Before giving the Hep. B vaccination, give the info paper to the mother, explain it, ask questions.

Before the hearing screen (or after the baby has passed) give the info sheet on the hearing screen.

Right now we give them to the mom right before discharge so we have ALOT to talk about before the baby is able to leave.

How do you do it at your hospital?

Do you have a check list of things that have to be talked about before discharge (i've seen this somewhere), if so whats all on there?

[rn4babies63]

We start our education right after delivery. Before delivery, on admission (so many are inductions so most moms are still willing to listen) we give them our discharge teaching booklet. There is a tri-copy teaching sheet that goes along with it. The education is done throughout the course of their stay so discharge is not so time consuming. As each subject is discussed, the nurse initials and dates that area on the teaching sheet so the other shifts know what was covered. Then, basically, by the day of discharge, only their follow-up appts need written in and it is signed by the patient and a copy is given to them. Our Hep B and hearing test info is given to them immediately after discharge so they are educated before the procedures are done. This d/c form is something we just started about a month ago. It's working pretty well but needs tweaked a little. Most of our SVD's stay 48 hours and C/S's 3 days so it does allow us more time for education. At my other job, most are d/c'd in 24-48 hours so we're really cramming at discharge time, doing most education at that time.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

We have a checklist of things to go over, in addition to any questions mom may have. One page is split in to mom care and baby care, and a separate checklist for breastfeeding. It starts the second we admit mom, because 1) people stay such a short time; and 2) they are not going to retain anything if we throw it all at them at once.

Ideally everybody does a little at a time and by the time they are d/ced it is done. Things happen and it doesn't always work that way but that's what we shoot for.

I try to teach about things as I'm doing them. As I'm checking mom's fundus, I tell her what to expect about involution, cramping, and lochia. As I'm checking her bottom, I tell her what to expect about healing and what to watch out for, and so on. Ditto for baby care.

Sometimes if I have a multip that is doing great, I hand her the checklist and have her tell me what she'd like more info on. That way she's hearing what's pertinent to her and I'm not wasting my time on stuff she's already heard. Hope this is helpful.

[cherokeesummer]

We educate as we go along. When circ is done, we educate them then and do reminders, when breastfeeding we educate, when baby comes out to mom we educate on feeding frequency, diaper changes if need be, etc. etc. And then at discharge we do hand them paperwork but we go over it verbally also.