Basic, High-Risk, and Critical Care Intrapartum Nursing: Clinical Competencies and Education Guide, 7th Edition

The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for educational content and skills veri fi cation for basic, high -risk, and critical care obstetric nursing. The information provided is designed to assist professional nurses responsible for developing orientation and continuing education programs for nurses providing care to patients during labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum period and to newborns during transition to extrauterine life. Participation in a structured orientation program, including didactic instruction and clinical skills veri fi cation, is recommended to achieve competence. The content of learning experiences, whether didactic or clinically oriented, should be guided by evidence -based guidelines and the best scienti fi c evidence available. While this document includes knowledge and clinical skills integral to intrapartum nursing practice, it does not constitute an exhaustive summary of either educational content or clinical skills that may need to be veri fi ed. Didactic content and the clinical skills requiring veri fi cation will depend on (a) the mix of obstetric care providers, e.g., physicians, certi fi ed nurse -midwives, nurses, residents, and interns; (b) the patient population served; (c) the designation of maternal level of care; (d) the model used to deliver obstetric care, e.g., labor -delivery -recovery rooms, labor -delivery -recovery -postpartum rooms, traditional labor and delivery rooms, or freestanding birthing centers; (e) changes and advances in perinatal care and technology; and (f) individual state or provincial nurse practice regulations, institutional policies and procedures, and professional organization care guidelines. Elements of the information presented here may also be applicable and may be adapted to high -risk antepartum and postpartum patient care settings. NOTE: This document contains guidelines only. It is not intended to and does not re fl ect the legal standard of care. The information contained in these guidelines is not a substitute for professional judgment or individualized care.