Case study for long term condition in pregnancy
Task : This assignment is a written case study of the student’s involvement in the management of care provided to a woman with a long-term condition.
The word limit for the assessment is 2000 words.
Your essay should be written from the perspective of a healthcare professional. It should be written in an academic style, be correctly referenced and use relevant literature to support your arguments
You need to demonstrate that you meet the identified leaning outcomes of the module in your essay response.
You must select a pregnant or postnatal person who has been diagnosed with a long-term medical condition. You can choose to create your own case.
Consider what observations, investigations and interventions are required to ensure safe and effective care for the mother and baby, incorporating the role of the midwife, the obstetric team and specialist MDT. This should include some discussion of the pathophysiology of the condition (how and why it affects the mother and baby outside of normal pregnancy changes).
You should conduct a literature search beyond the provided reading lists, specific to your chosen long-term condition, and critically analyse this. Critical analysis goes beyond describing what a piece of research or literature says and explores the strengths and limitations of how the research was conducted e.g., ethical approval, number of participants, methods, and design. This analysis should support your discussion of what care should look like. This may include clinical guidelines at a Trust and National level such as NICE or RCOG.
All women and pregnant people with long-term medical conditions should have observations recorded on a MEOWs chart. You need to discuss the importance of the use of a MEOWs chart for identifying a deterioration in condition.
Follow the guidance in your programme handbook in relation to how this assessment should be set out and the guidance re academic integrity statement for submission on the front page.
Include one reference list at the end of the assignment that relates to the portfolio entries and the reflective essay. (The reference list is not included in the word count, but the in-text referencing is included in the word count).
Identify a Physical long-term condition identified within the module learning
Explain how MEOWS maybe used when caring for a woman with a long-term condition
Demonstrate a level of critical thinking and avoid merely describing.
Carry out a search of the literature and identify relevant papers. Please do not just limit yourself to the reading list for the module
Develop and argument- don’t just write about the topic but construct a reasoned answer to the assignment task based on the evidence you have reviewed
Use Arial font, size 12 point and double spacing.
The learning outcomes that are being assessed through this assessment are:
Identify and explain the physical and psychological effects of long-term medical conditions on pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, and how this affect well being in the mother, baby, and family
Apply practical thinking skills to solve authentic problems and make decisions when assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating individualised midwifery care plans for women during normal childbearing and in more complicated pregnancies, such as those affected by underlying long-term medical conditions. This includes connecting pre-existing knowledge of the pregnant and non-pregnant human body (anatomy and physiology) to the altered physiological states experienced by women with long-term medical conditions or receiving pain relief
Act as self-directed learners who identify, critically analyse and evaluate bodies of literature relating to the effect of long-term medical conditions or pain relief methods on the woman, fetus, baby and developing child, and the role of the health care professional in reducing adverse effects
Recognise the value of and recommend the use of a Modified Early Obstetric Warning System (MEOWS) chart (if appropriate) in the management of ‘high-risk’ pregnant and postnatal women.
Resources and literature:
All papers used need to be peer reviewed, primary and reliable evidence. Seek out relevant local and national policies and guidelines from your Trusts and from organisations such as NICE and the RCOG. Defenitly use the MBRRACE report.
