All aspects of safe, effective, holistic care for birthing mothers, newborns and their families are included in this easy-access guide for new antepartum and postpartum nurses and their preceptors during the orientation period. Presented in the convenient, easy-to-use Fast Facts format, the book provides up-to-date information regarding care for both low- and high-risk antepartum and postpartum patients. It encompasses evidence-based practise guidelines and clinical recommendations for routine antepartum assessment and nursing care, care of women with pre-existing conditions prior to pregnancy or complications of pregnancy, routine postpartum assessment and care, postpartum complications and care of special populations. Each chapter features a helpful ""orientation guide"" to acquaint the new orientee with essential information on procedures and policies, equipment, medications and evidence-based protocols.

Chapters are organised systematically to include assessment and management guidelines, health promotion and teaching recommendations, routine laboratory and ultrasound tests and holistic evidence-based nursing care practises. A separate section addresses special populations and outlines care components specific to these women and their families. They include culturally diverse families, women on each end of the age spectrum, women with fetuses or newborns diagnosed with adverse outcomes, women who have a history of being victimised and those with deployed partners. While targeted to hospital-based nurses and new nurses in hospital orientation and their preceptors, it is also a helpful resource for nurses who practise in a great variety of related settings, as well as nurse midwifery students. Appendices include a skills checklist, a list of commonly used medications, abbreviations and lab values.