Complication in Pregnancy, Article Review Example

The author of the study (Pfaff, 2014) is intending to provide a comprehensive information for nurses on the updated recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in order to help them apply the new guidelines in their practice. The author does not only provide guideline for diagnosis and differentiates between various types of hypertension that can occur during pregnancy, but also lists the diagnosis criteria for each of them. The author speaks from the educator perspective, however, the recommendations communicated in the article are based on evidence-based research.

It is extremely important that nurses understand the diagnosis criteria fore each case of hypertension and are able to provide effective preventive and intervention treatments. The risks of hypertension during pregnancy are severe; from stillbirth to heart failure. Therefore, nurses need the skills to determine the risks, based on the guidelines. The author also states that pregnant women with pre-existing hypertension should be constantly monitored.

While the article does not provide practical treatment guidelines, it is a comprehensive guide to diagnosis and intervention, as well as the different types and severity levels of hypertension. From the perinatal nurse perspective, this is an important article, as it contains intervention and postpartum treatment recommendations for women with hypertension. Still, in the end of the article,  Pfaff (2014) states that every pregnancy is different, and nurses should make decisions on an individual basis, which means that the guidelines are not widely accepted in the health care, and the recommendations are just there for guiding health care professionals. While it is important that perinatal nurses are aware of the updated recommendations, they should refer to nursing units’ policies and practices, as well as evidence based research findings when making a decision about treatment of pregnant women with hypertension.

References

Pfaff, N. F. (2014) The new hypertensive guidelines for pregnancy. What every nurse should know. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. April/June 2014