Development of a Continuous Care Mode for Pregnant Women with Preterm Labor in Kumphawapi Hospital, Udonthani Province

Abstract

This action research aimed to develop and investigate a Continuously Caring Model for pregnant women with preterm labor in Kumphawapi Hospital, Udonthani Province. The concept of Continuously Caring and Deming Cycle was used to improve the quality of midwifery practices. Continuously Caring concept consists of 3 points: continuity of data, continuity of management, and continuity of data relationship. The Deming’s Cycle comprises four–step model which was applied in this action research. The first step was analysis of problems and situations . The second step was to develop Continuously Caring Model and it then was tested on twenty-five pregnant women with preterm labor and ten professional nurses. The third step was to investigate and evaluate the model. After the first 3 steps, the findings showed that the percentage of pregnant women with preterm labor who repeated cycles of treatment was twenty eight. Twenty percentage of the preterm birth rate was reported. The risks of preterm labor were having sexual intercourse without using a condom and working hard during pregnancy. Professional nurses could follow all of the activities which were created in the model. The context of model was cleared (  = 4.22, SD = 0.44). The context of the present model was clearer than the previous guidelines (  = 4.22, SD = 0.44). There were benefits to the organization when evaluated the model (  = 4.22, SD = 0.44). The last step was related to the PDCA cycle, to improve the model. There are suggestions that Continuously Caring Model can be effectively used in practice and it should be imposed as a policy. The model should be monitored, evaluated and improved to be clear and appropriate for each organization.