Document Type

Final Project

Graduation Date

Spring 5-2-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

First Advisor

Elizabeth Mollard

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this project was to expand the areas of focus within a maternal wellness program at a Black community center and to evaluate the satisfaction levels of the doulas who utilized the material during postpartum home visits. The toolkit covers a range of postpartum topics in the areas of nutrition, exercise, sexual health, mindfulness, and social support as well as a postpartum mental health screening tool.

Design: This quality improvement project included three distinct phases: The pre-implementation phase, the implementation phase, and the post-implementation phase.

Setting: The project location was a Black community center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Methods: The project involved pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation phases. The DNP team worked with the program doulas and maternal wellness program director to create a postpartum wellness toolkit. The doulas received guidance for utilizing the toolkit, delivered the toolkit to participants, and participated in pre- and post-intervention surveys.

Findings: The toolkit received positive feedback from the doulas who participated in the project. They found it to be relevant, culturally sensitive, and effective. Although the response rate was low, the doulas who completed the survey responded favorably regarding the toolkit’s ability to improve program participants' mental and physical wellbeing. This aligns with previous research demonstrating the benefits of utilizing a community-based postpartum wellness program and care from culturally congruent doulas.

Conclusion: Implementation of the postpartum wellness toolkit increased the general satisfaction of the doula participants. The majority of the survey respondents indicated that it was a useful resource that included holistic and culturally relevant content and allowed effective and efficient use.

Recommendation: Based on the results of this project, the postpartum wellness toolkit should continue to be used with specific modifications as needed by the maternal wellness program. Survey participants responded favorably to the toolkit’s potential to enhance program participant wellness. By continuing to use the toolkit for an extended period, the doulas will become more familiar with how various topics can be applied to individual scenarios. Further education is advised to ensure that all current and future staff are well-informed about the toolkit’s content and purpose.

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