Effect of Implementing Nursing Process on Women ' s Health after Cesarean Birth at the Maternity Teaching Hospital / Erbil city

The incidence of cesarean birth has increased dramatically in the last 25 years from less than 5% in 1965 to 22.9% in 2000. Maternal complications occur in 25% to 50% of cesarean births. So proper nursing care is a main factor in preventing and treating complications, after cesarean birth, especially when it is implemented according to nursing process. The main objective of the study was to determine the effect of implementing nursing process on health status of women who had cesarean birth. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in the Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil city, during the period April 1/2008-September 30/ 2009. The sample of the study included 66 women who had cesarean birth, 33 of them were in the intervention group and other 33 in the control group. Data were collected through the use of one interview questionnaire and three checklists. The intervention group received care from the investigator according to nursing process, while the control group had usual nursing care from the staff of the hospital. Both groups were assessed for the effect of type of nursing care on health status of mothers in hospital. During the period of hospitalization the study group had less health problems and recovered earlier than the control group, as the percentage of mothers who had fatigue, dysurea, headache, insomnia and constipation was lower than the percentage of mothers in the control group and the percentage of mothers who initiated breast feeding was higher among study group than control group. It is concluded that nursing care according to nursing process is more effective in improving mother’s health after cesarean birth than usual care, therefore implementing such type of nursing care is recommended. Keywords-nursing process, women's health, cesarean birth. Manuscript received June 17,2010. This work is supported by Hawler Medical University and approved by scientific committee of both College of Nursing and Maternity Teaching Hospital. Hamdia Mirkhan Ahmed, PhD in Nursing, is a lecturer in Hawler Medical University, College of Nursing, Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Also she is Head of Kurdistan Scientific Nurses Association. (phone: 07504478625, email: hamdia76@gmail.com) Badia Mohammad Najib, PhD in nursing, is professor and head of Department of Maternity Nursing in Hawler Medical University, College of Nursing. (phone: 07504888059, email: badiafaisal@hotmail.com).

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