• RNAO
• ONA

• Nursing Innovation Grant

Bachelor of Science in Nursing with the University of Ottawa
CPS Neonatal Resuscitation Certification
Best Start Breastfeeding Certification
CCHD Certification
Canadian FHS Online Exam and Certification with UBC

The postpartum discharge videos are intended to be used by nurses and patients to facilitate a standardized and enhanced patient discharge process. These videos provide comprehensive, and readily accessible discharge information through a multi-modal, patient friendly approach. This multimedia approach to deliver crucial information aims to improve and streamline nurse efficiency and consistency in the discharge process. For patients, it can leverage technology to improve availability and create an additional approach to deliver important patient discharge information that will be accesible in the hospital as well as at home.

Aimed to standardize patient discharge teaching, improve health literacy, and accessibility of trusted information, the uniqueness of the project demonstrates the evolution of patient education into a modern approach that aligns with how our patient population accesses and consumes information. By incorporating patient information videos, it provides the ability for each individual patient to choose their preferred method in how to interact with important patient information, ultimately enhancing patient safety post-discharge. Unlike traditional methods, our videos are tailored to the specific needs of maternal and newborn care, ensuring relevance and high impact. Additionally, the videos will be created in 5-7 languages to ensure broader accessibility of this information to support our diverse population in Ottawa. This personalized, multimedia approach addresses diverse learning preferences, making it a pioneering step in patient education within the service line.

When reviewing the results of the ongoing Canadian Patient Experiences Survey, questions regarding patient education resources are scored poorly. For example, the statement “Information in The Ottawa Hospital’s patient education resources is easy to understand” scores 31.4% top box (patient ranking the question 9-10/10). Additionally, the question “information in The Ottawa Hospital’s patient education resources helps me to know how to take care of myself or my family members” scored 28.4% top box. Completing an environmental scan of internal resources and publicly available information, there is an absence of vetted, organizationally supported postpartum information. Internally, the current approach for patient education is through booklets. Externally, when searching popular social media video sites or search engines for postpartum information, the results are videos not created by accredited healthcare facilities. Our aim is to improve our patient experience, patient education scores, and provide publicly trusted information.

For frontline nurses, the project aims to create more standardized and streamlined patient interactions, reducing the time spent on additional discharge teachings. This efficiency improvement not only contributes to enhanced patient safety but also allows nurses to focus on personalized care, positively impacting the overall patient experience. The initiative also fosters a commitment to patient-centered practices, ultimately elevating the standard of care provided by healthcare professionals. By integrating technology into nursing practice, it promotes continuous professional development and adaptability in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. The use of educational videos can also enhance nursing education by providing consistent, high-quality teaching tools that can be easily shared. Overall, this innovation supports a more efficient, knowledgeable, and patient-focused nursing workforce, that can improve nursing practice and patient outcomes.

The Multimedia Approach for Post Partum Education and Discharge (MAPPED) project aims to enhance patient education and safety across TOH’s maternal newborn service line. By creating a six bite sized series of patient-centric educational videos focused on the discharged birthing parent and newborn, the project seeks to provide accessible, comprehensive, and consistent discharge teachings.

The goals of the project are to: 1) Improve patient education and health literacy – information regarding the discharge teaching has been vetted through the interdisciplinary team, patient education department and patient volunteers. Video to enhance printed discharge instructions. Easily accessible, bite size, user friendly and comprehensive; 2) Standardize and streamline Patient Discharge Teaching – Reduce variability between nurses as well as improve nursing efficiency at discharge; 3) Enhance the transition from hospital to home and a heightened awareness of baby/postpartum safety; and 4) Accessible information for our diverse population: Script translated to multiple languages to better serve Ottawa’s diverse population. English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, Farsi.

Initial evidence-informed implementation strategies have been leveraged in the development and analysis phase of the project such as clinician involvement, local consensus processes, identifying potential barriers to change and identification of practice gaps. Initial awareness has been created and nursing colleagues and patient volunteers have vocalized the value of creating videos. Once videos have been created, education sessions, education outreach, and printed educational materials will be created to encourage the use of videos by the nursing staff. QR codes will be present in the room encouraging patients to access the information early on in their postpartum stay and nurses will remind patients of the QR codes. Future state will be to provide QR codes in the Patient Education booklets.

Lastly, we will monitor both process and outcome measures. From a process standpoint, we will look to compare the number of post discharge phone calls received to the unit seeking discharge information pre and post video roll out. Additionally, we will leverage our patient experience data to track the impact of the videos on the patient education experience questions.

Internally, we will look to pilot the project on one campus and complete PDSA cycles to adjust our approach if need be and track our data. After pilot completed, the project will be rolled out corporately to the second campus. The project also looks to revolutionize the approach to patient education at our hospital. Externally, with minimal variability of discharge information, our videos will be publicly accessible on the The Ottawa Hospital YouTube page, in which external organizations can access and utilize to support in their own postpartum discharge process.

To help spread accessible information, we intend to submit abstracts to national and international nursing conferences as well as develop a journal manuscript to spread the work that has been completed. From a local, provincial, and national perspective, we hope to grow the accessibility of trusted and understandable health information for the post-partum patient population.

Please see our proof of concept for our first video:  https://youtu.be/4-9Uj5K_zRU?si=iz9n4cdBttl0qOa5