Strengthening Interprofessional Communication in Postpartum Emergencies and Complications

Rising maternal death rates in the United States necessitates the improvement in quality of care for postpartum patients. Health outcomes are improved by interprofessional practice and collaborative communication. Simulated postpartum complications with healthcare students improved interprofessional communication, and prepared future professionals to increase the quality of postpartum care.

Nursing and physician assistant students participated in an event that included two interprofessional simulations where standardized patients portrayed signs and symptoms of postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum depression. This learning experience was possible with a practice-education partnership between Eastern Michigan University and the Trinity Health Simulation Center in Ann Arbor. Learners engaged in pre-learning, pre-briefs, small group discussions, and debriefs. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed on pre-test/post-test questionnaires.

A statistically significant increase in interprofessional communication skills and insights were found post intervention. A two year comparison shows consistency of the learning experience. Qualitative data found participants enjoyed the collaborative learning experience, and expressed the value of communication for patient centered care and health outcomes.

The data suggest we are providing a meaningful learning experience in interprofessional communication across participant groups, as well as a consistent experience from year to year. These findings have important implications, as the event is integrated into both the PA and RN curricula, allowing programs to deliver consistent interprofessional learning experiences that support competency development and alignment with accreditation standards.

The poster aligns with the Quadruple Aim by improving population health through early training of future healthcare providers to manage leading contributors to maternal morbidity and mortality, including postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum depression. By equipping students with the skills to recognize and respond to these complications through interprofessional collaboration, the simulation strengthens their readiness to deliver timely, evidence-based care. Preparing learners to work effectively in teams addresses critical gaps in maternal health and supports long-term improvements in outcomes for postpartum patients.