High Risk Perinatal Resources
AFE Practice Alert
AWHONN supports the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia (Pacheco et al., 2016), Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (Combs et al., 2021), and American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (2022) management recommendations of suspected AFE that focus on maternal resuscitation including oxygenation, hemodynamic support, and correction of coagulopathy. Learn more.
- High Risk Critical Care Obstetric- 4th Ed.
This new resource is written for all perinatal clinicians who provide care to pregnant women whether they identify, stabilize and transfer or care for the woman with high-risk or critical care conditions. - Core Curriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing, 6th Edition
The 6th edition includes evidence-based best practices in caring for preterm infants, medications and antepartum-intrapartum complications. - Perinatal Nursing – 5th Edition
This updated, evidence-based edition is a valuable resource for perinatal nurses practicing in all levels of maternal care, mother-baby units, newborn care, and for those nurses studying for certification examinations. Perinatal units should have this book as a ready resource for clinicians.
- Magnet Template: POST BIRTH Warning Signs
POST-BIRTH Magnet template for hospitals. Magnet template can be downloaded, a hospital logo can be added, and magnets can be printed. Templates are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and Haitian Creole. - Basic, High-Risk and Critical-Care Intrapartum Nursing- 6th Ed.
This updated guide describes the framework for core content of educational programs and clinical practicums for fetal heart rate monitoring in obstetric practice. Areas of competence for clinicians whose practice includes antepartum and intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring are provided. - Nursing Care of the Woman with Diabetes in Pregnancy
AWHONN’s first evidence-based clinical practice guideline addressing diabetes, provides comprehensive recommendations for nurses who care for women with diabetes– types 1 or 2 and gestational diabetes (A1 or A2)–during pregnancy, labor and postpartum, and their babies. - Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction and Augmentation, 5th Edition
Cervical ripening, induction and augmentation of labor are common interventions on labor and delivery units, and nurses provide most of the hands-on, direct care for women undergoing these procedures. This practice monograph includes information on mechanical and pharmacologic methods for cervical ripening; labor induction and augmentation with oxytocin, a high alert drug; and nurse staffing levels and skills needed to provide safe and effective care with the use of cervical ripening and induction agents. - Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Research and Implications for Nursing Care
The publication of this practice monograph was supported by an educational grant from Pampers. The monograph is provided as an open access document and may be downloaded for free.
- Anaphylactoid Syndrome of Pregnancy Journal CNE
This journal CNE activity provides knowledge on recognition and response to Anaphylactoid Syndrome of Pregnancy (ASP).
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Obstetric Settings
AWHONN does not mandate advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) competence validation for perinatal nurses who provide post-analgesia or post-anesthesia care to women who have undergone obstetric surgery. However, each hospital must develop a plan to ensure that clinicians capable of providing ACLS are available at all times.
- POST-BIRTH Warning Signs Online Education Course
AWHONN’s Post-Birth Warning Signs online education course provides a standard approach to postpartum pre-and post-discharge education for all women, regardless of risk factors. This course is designed to educate nurses and other obstetric care providers about the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in the U.S., particularly in the postpartum period. - Mothers and Babies First (Relias): Hypertension
RELIAS OB NOW REVIEWED AND VALIDATED BY AWHONN! - Mothers and Babies First (Relias): OB Hemorrhage
RELIAS OB NOW REVIEWED AND VALIDATED BY AWHONN! - Mothers and Babies First (Relias): Shoulder Dystocia
RELIAS OB NOW REVIEWED AND VALIDATED BY AWHONN! - Obstetric Patient Safety Classroom Course for Postpartum Hemorrhage- Instructor Resource Manual
- Obstetric Patient Safety Classroom Course for Postpartum Hemorrhage- Student Materials
- Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Hemodynamic Function & Assessment – Course 1
Understanding how the physiologic changes in pregnancy affect the noninvasive assessments of a pregnant woman is important when caring for pregnant women. This course is a foundation for the critical care courses and the information is applicable to all pregnant women whether well or critically ill. - Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation – Course 2
AWHONN recommends that you take the Noninvasive Hemodynamic Function and Assessment course as a foundation for this course. - Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Diabetic Ketoacidosis – Course 3
Pregnancy can complicate diabetes and increase the risk of DKA, which is a rare complication but a medical emergency. You need to know how the normal adaptations of pregnancy affect diabetes, events that may precipitate DKA, and how DKA is managed. -
Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Sepsis and Septic Shock – Course 4
Sepsis is third-leading cause of maternal mortality. You need to know how to identify women with sepsis and how to implement the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative toolkit to identify and treat women with sepsis and septic shock. - Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Preeclampsia and Severe Hypertension – Course 5
Preeclampsia and Severe Hypertension is an online course designed to help you identify, assess, and manage pregnant women with preeclampsia and severe hypertension occurring during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. - Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Maternal Venous Thromboembolism – Course 6
Despite improvements in maternal care, thromboembolism remains one of the leading causes of maternal death in the United States. Maternal venous thromboembolism is an online course designed to help you identify, assess, and manage women with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus in pregnancy, intrapartum, and postpartum. -
Critical Care Obstetrics Education (CCOE) Cardiac Disease and Pregnancy – Course 7
Cardiac Disease and Pregnancy is an online course designed to help you identify, assess, and manage pregnant women with cardiac disease occurring during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. - Critical Care Obstetrics Four Course Program: DIC, DKA, VTE, Cardiac
- Critical Care Obstetrics Four Course Program: Hemodynamic, Sepsis, HTN, PPH
- Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP)
The Perinatal Orientation and Education Program (POEP) is highly effective in providing evidence-based, clinical education to perinatal nurses. POEP helps to mitigate patient risk, increase staff efficiency, and promote optimal obstetric outcomes while saving your healthcare system time and money. With POEP, your facility can establish consistent provision of high-quality care for mothers and infants. - Neonatal Orientation and Education Program, Fourth Edition (NOEP)
NOEP is a comprehensive, educational program that is highly effective in providing evidence-based, clinical education to neonatal nurses. NOEP helps to mitigate neonatal risk, increase staff efficiency, and promote optimal neonatal outcomes while saving your healthcare system time and money. With NOEP, your facility can establish consistent provision of high-quality care for high-risk and vulnerable newborns.
- Obstetric Patient Safety: OB Emergencies Workshop
Obstetric emergencies are high-acuity, low-frequency events. Despite efforts from many collaborating agencies and professional organizations, the maternal mortality rate in the United States continues to remain high. The prerequisite on-line courses are designed to help you identify, assess, and manage women with specific obstetric emergencies such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage, and maternal sepsis. The courses utilize critical thinking concepts presented in a case study format that allow you to apply the knowledge you learn. The live workshop allows for practice by means of simulation for nurses and providers to reduce the risk of maternal injury and death.
- Use of Insulin for Intrapartum Patients
We recognize that pregnant women who have gestational diabetes have changing needs throughout pregnancy, often requiring they receive insulin. We created this webinar for those who care for diabetic pregnant patients. - Perinatal Sepsis
This webinar covers potential risk factors for developing perinatal sepsis and teaches clinicians how to recognize, respond, and manage symptoms. -
Cesarean Birth Complications: Prevention/Early Detection/Management
This webinar will justify assessments and interventions for complications of hemorrhage, surgical site infection and venous thromboembolism following cesarean delivery. Knowledge about prevention and early recognition of complications associated with cesarean birth can provide you with necessary evidence to develop and implement successful practice protocols for the benefit of patients and staff alike. - Bridging Bariatrics and Babies: A Standardized Collaborative Approach
The ability to use collaborative evidence-based care to address these challenges will not only enhance your knowledge about perinatal risk factors and ways to improve care but could positively address long-term challenges you may have in this area. - Ethical Obstetrics: Balancing Life and Death Webinar
During this webinar, the presenter will explore ethical frameworks and principles including autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Consideration of ethical issues and decision making in obstetrics will culminate in a case study that will stimulate participant critical thinking about individual practice. - Massive Obstetric Hemorrhage: What You Need to Know Webinar
During this webinar, you will learn about content regarding Joint Commission standards related to maternal hemorrhage; assessment hypovolemia/hemorrhage shock management; maternal safety bundles; hemorrhage protocol; hemorrhage cart; intrauterine balloons; medications; recognition and prevention; risk assessment; complications; and response related to obstetric hemorrhage. - The Risky Business of Obstetrics: Preparing for the Unexpected
Watch this webinar to learn about one hospital’s protocol development, institution, and sustainment process. The webinar includes the importance of emergency carts and discusses preparing meaningful drills, even if a hospital has few resources.
