ABSTRACT
In an interview, World Health Organization Chief Nursing Officer Elizabeth Iro reflected on nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic and how nurses have risen to the challenges they have faced. Despite the cancellation of virtually all the activities planned to mark 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, she believes that nurses' leadership, courage, compassion, commitment and expertise have been revealed to the world like never before. However, it is critical to nurture and support the next generation of nurses so that they can help to bring about the necessary reforms for health systems around the world.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/nursing , Nurse's Role , Pneumonia, Viral/nursing , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/nursing , World Health Organization , COVID-19/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Leadership , Midwifery , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The rapid pace of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic (COVID-19) presents significant challenges to midwives and nurses. This study aimed to explore midwifery and nursing interventions to limit the transmission of COVID-19 among women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infection and promote safety of care for women and their infants. METHOD: We completed a retrospective review of medical records from 35 women in their third trimester of pregnancy with SARS-CoV-2, admitted to one hospital in Wuhan, China in January and February 2020. We investigated the clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 infection in pregnancy, and the individualized midwifery and nursing care offered, including environmental protection, prevention of nosocomial infection, maternal observations, monitoring of signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and psychological care. RESULT: Thirty-one women had a caesarean section, and four had vaginal births. Retrospective analysis of midwifery and nursing strategies implemented to care for these women showed no maternal complications or nosocomial infections. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The care strategies we implemented could prevent complications and nosocomial infection in the third trimester of pregnancy, thus ensuring the safety of women and their infants. Further research needs to determine treatment priorities for women infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy and the postnatal period.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/prevention & control , Delivery, Obstetric/nursing , Midwifery/methods , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/prevention & control , Pregnancy Outcome/epidemiology , Adult , COVID-19/nursing , China , Female , Humans , Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/prevention & control , Pandemics/statistics & numerical data , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/nursing , Pregnancy Trimester, Third , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
The impact on healthcare services in settings with under-resourced health systems, such as Nigeria, is likely to be substantial in the coming months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and maternity services still need to be prioritized as an essential core health service. The healthcare system should ensure the provision of safe and quality care to women during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, and at the same time, maternity care providers including obstetricians and midwives must be protected and prioritized to continue providing care to childbearing women and their babies during the pandemic. This practical guideline was developed for the management of pregnant women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in Nigeria and other low-resource countries.