A discussion of the nurses role in delivering maternity care for a patient and their family.

Introduction

The specialist care area that this student will discuss with regards to the nurses role in delivering care for a patient and their family is maternity care. The number of births in Ireland has increased significantly in the last few years. According to Census Ireland (2006) there were 64,237 births in Ireland in 2006, an increase of 3195 from the previous year. The average age of woman giving birth in 2006 was 31.0 years compared to 28.8 years in 1980. The midwives role in delivering care to the mother and baby is vital as it helps build up the confidence of the mother and makes the mother more comfortable in looking after the baby. The midwives play a key role in assessing and examining the mother and baby. They also play an important role in educating the mother and the family in looking after the baby. It is essential for the health care team to have a plan of care fo…(short extract)