Nurses Week: The Critical Role of Nurses in Postpartum Hemorrhage Recognition and Maternal Safety
During Nurses Week, we celebrate the nurses who stand at the bedside during some of the most vulnerable and life-changing moments in a patient’s life. In maternal health, nurses are often the first to recognize subtle signs of deterioration, advocate for escalating care, educate families, and respond during obstetric emergencies. Their role becomes especially critical in the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Postpartum hemorrhage is commonly defined as cumulative blood loss of 1,000 mL or greater or blood loss associated with signs and symptoms of hypovolemia within 24 hours following birth (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], 2017). Although PPH can occur rapidly and unpredictably, early recognition and timely intervention can significantly improve maternal outcomes.
Nurses are central to this early recognition process. Continuous patient assessment allows bedside nurses to identify changes in vital signs, uterine tone, bleeding patterns, mental status, skin perfusion, and overall clinical presentation before severe deterioration occurs. In many situations, nurses are the first healthcare professionals to recognize that “something is not right” and initiate escalation protocols.
The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) emphasizes the importance of standardized hemorrhage assessment, quantitative blood loss measurement, team communication, simulation training, and rapid response systems in improving maternal safety outcomes (AWHONN, 2022). Nurses are deeply involved in each of these processes from ongoing monitoring and medication administration to multidisciplinary coordination during emergencies.
Nurses also play a vital role in patient education and postpartum advocacy. Education regarding warning signs such as excessive bleeding, dizziness, tachycardia, weakness, or delayed recovery can empower patients and families to seek care sooner after discharge. This is especially important because postpartum complications may occur after patients leave the hospital.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) further influence maternal outcomes in postpartum hemorrhage. Barriers such as limited access to prenatal care, transportation challenges, language barriers, healthcare disparities, and limited rural obstetric resources may delay recognition and treatment. Nurses often serve as advocates who help bridge communication gaps, provide culturally sensitive education, and support equitable access to care.
Maternal safety requires more than clinical skill alone. It requires communication, teamwork, accountability, and systems that support early intervention. Nurses continue to be a driving force behind these efforts every day in labor and delivery units, postpartum floors, emergency departments, clinics, and communities across the country.
This Nurses Week, PPHEquity recognizes the dedication, advocacy, and clinical vigilance nurses bring to maternal healthcare. Their work saves lives, strengthens families, and advances safer outcomes for mothers everywhere.
Care is not optional it is required, and it comes from accountability, awareness, and action.
— Jannelle Carahan, PPHEquity
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2017). Postpartum hemorrhage: ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 183. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 130(4), e168–e186. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002351
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. (2022). Postpartum hemorrhage project. https://www.awhonn.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Working together to reduce Black maternal mortality. https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html
World Health Organization. (2023). Maternal mortality. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality