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Maternity ward, North Zealand Hospital study, Denmark
Summary from study by, MSA, Annemette Lundmark, Nordzealand Hospital · 2014 The Sensory Delivery Room´s / SDR developed by Wavecare and Philips produced extremely impressive results with regard to patient and staff satisfaction. From the 102 patient questionnaire on satisfaction with the Sensory Delivery Room.
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The effects of this combined light, color, image, and sound intervention were considered in relation to three parameters ● effect on the birth outcome ● patient satisfaction ● work environment |
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Patient satisfaction On the question of the SDR’s inside the Ambient Delivery Room. impact on the birth experience, 93 % of women responded that the room had a very positive impact on the experience (95% of their partners said the same). Pain Management On the question of what impact giving birth in the SDR had on their experience of pain during labor, 73% percent said it had a very positive impact. Security and Wellbeing On the question of the SDR’s impact on their experience of security and wellbeing during labor, 94% of the women said it had a very positive impact( 94% of their partners responded said the same). (MSA, Annemette Lundmark, 2014) |
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The study followed a qualitative study methodology with 3 components: 1)102 woman/couples were given questionnaires that asked them about their satisfaction with the sensory delivery room; 2) Participant observation of and individual qualitative interviews with 5 women/couples that had given birth in the Sensory Delivery Room; 3) A qualitative evaluation of the midwives’ experiences working the in the SDR via participant observation and a focus group interview with 5 midwives.Results
With regard to birth outcome parameter, it was hypothesized that the Sensory Delivery Room would help create physiological conditions in the mother that would induce the production of oxytocin hormone which would allow the woman to give birth more quickly, that would thus require fewer medical interventions, and perhaps lessen the need for pain medication. The researchers determined that a random control study of birth outcomes would need to follow up this initial study to confirm positive indications on this first parameter.
In the individual qualitative interviews, the women reported that the SDR made a difference on a number of fronts, including:
· sense of control
· security and wellbeing
· pain management
· improved patient/healthcare provider communication
They reported the room felt homelike and thereby afforded them more of a sense of control. Secondly, they reported feeling that the restful environment in the SDR made pain more manageable. They also reported that the comfort and tranquility emanating from the ambient delivery room gave them a solid base from which to handle the often technical, medical discussions going on around them and the frequently quite difficult physical circumstances. Finally, the women reported experiencing more empathy from the midwives and that the ambient environment was more conducive to conversation in between contractions, for example, and not just when physical symptoms were most pronounced.
