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ACUTE CARE - Reducing Maternal Morbidity in the High-Risk Postpartum Population: The Role of Acute Care Therapy

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The demand for earlier interventions to reduce functional impairments associated with maternal morbidity is projected to rise. Acute care physical therapists and occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to address these obstetric-related impairments that impact both maternal and fetal outcomes. Maternal morbidity associated with cardiac dysfunction, thromboembolism, hypertensive disorders, neurologic injury, postpartum hemorrhage, anemia, cesarean wound infection, sepsis, unexpected peripartum hysterectomy, and depression negatively affect health and functional outcomes. By addressing acute musculoskeletal-related pain, impaired mobility, decreased activity tolerance, and limited ability to perform activities of daily living and infant care, and identifying risk factors that compromise incision healing, therapists will improve functional outcomes and decrease overall health care costs related to childbirth. Speakers will discuss acute care management of high-risk postpartum conditions that impact short- and long-term maternal function and multidisciplinary strategies that establish physical therapy and occupational therapy as standard components of maternal health services.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify risk factors in the medical history and/or labor and delivery course that contribute to postpartum morbidity and functional impairments.
  • Apply acute care rehabilitation-specific outcome measures to guide inpatient obstetric care plans and postpartum referral recommendations.
  • Manage symptoms associated with prolonged labor positioning and delivery-related musculoskeletal or neurological impairments.
  • Implement pelvic health interventions immediately after delivery to enhance recovery of bowel, bladder, and reproductive function following any method of delivery.

Rebeca Segraves

PT, DPT, Board-Certified Women's Health Physical Therapist

Dr. Rebeca Segraves, PT, DPT,  Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health Physical Therapy, Founder of Enhanced Recovery After DeliveryTM CEO of the Pelvic Health Network. She has extensive experience treating perinatal and pelvic health conditions in acute care, home health, and outpatient settings including long-term hospitalizations for high-risk pregnancy and following perinatal loss. She has worked with inpatient general surgery, oncology, and obstetrics and gynecology teams to maximize early recovery after delivery, pelvic surgery, and obstetrics critical care diagnoses. She has tailored Enhanced Recovery After Surgery® rehabilitation protocols for abdominal and pelvic surgeries including colon resection, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, prolapse repair, endometriosis surgery, cesarean section, birth-related injuries, and cancer-related abdominal and pelvic surgeries. She is the founder of Enhanced Recovery After Delivery™, an obstetrics clinical pathway that maximizes mental and physical function during pregnancy and immediately postpartum with hospital and in-home occupational and physical therapy. Her vision is that every person will have access to a qualified rehabilitation therapist before and immediately after birth and any pelvic surgery regardless of their location or ability to pay.

Jenna Segraves

PT, DPT, MS

Texas Children’s Hospital

Jenna Segraves is a Board-Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist in Physical Therapy and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. She graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Delaware in 2014. Her clinical practice involves a wide variety of settings and populations including outpatient orthopedics, outpatient neurology, lymphedema management, pelvic health, acute care with a focus on neuro/trauma diagnoses, critical care, the emergency department, and inpatient obstetrics. For the acute care obstetric population, she evaluates and treats individuals within 24 hours following delivery. Dr. Segraves is passionate about expanding physical and occupational therapy services to optimize function in the immediate postpartum phase of recovery.

Sara Venables

OT

Sara Venables is an OT and Certified Lymphedema Therapist (2012) who completed a MSOT from Winston-Salem State University in 2008. She has been practicing for 12 years, primarily in acute care with focus on critical care units of neurotrauma ICU, medical surgical ICU, cardiothoracic surgery ICU, and medical cardiology ICU, serving with individuals who had orthopedic, traumatic, neurologic, cardiothoracic and general surgery conditions. Her primary goals are maximizing function with neuromuscular re-education, empowering patients with education of precautions to prevent common complications, and re-engaging meaningful occupations for optimal outcomes.

Meaghan Marie Coreas

Meaghan Coreas earned her Masters in Physical Therapy from Saint Louis University in 2006. She currently serves as a supervisor at Texas Children's Hospital with over 15 years experience in complex care management of the acute and critical care pediatric populations. Clinically, her focus includes management of ICU-acquired weakness and interventions following open abdominal, gynecological, and obstetric surgery, emphasizing diaphragmatic control of pain and mobility. In her free time, Meaghan enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and six children and cheering her children on in competitive swimming.

Course Instructions

  1. Click on the Contents tab to watch the course recording.
  2. Click the Take Quiz button to complete the assessment. Learners will have 3 attempts to pass and must answer at least 70% of questions correctly.
  3. Click Fill Out Survey under the Evaluation listing to provide valuable course feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
  4. Click the View/Print Your Certificate button under the Certificate listing. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the APTA Learning Center and clicking the CEU Certificate/Transcript link on the left-hand side of the page. 

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Assessment
5 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  3/5 points to pass
5 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  3/5 points to pass Please complete the post-course assessment with a sore of 70% or better. You have three attempts to obtain a passing score.
Evaluation
12 Questions
12 Questions Your comments are important to us! Submit your feedback about the course through this evaluation.
CEU Certificate
Up to 0.20 contact hours available  |  Certificate available
Up to 0.20 contact hours available  |  Certificate available