Effect of Virtual Care on Postpartum Pain and Episiotomy Healing Among Primiparous Women

Abstract

Abstract Background: Perineal pain is a major complaint of postpartum females with normal vaginal delivery. Using of new technology in providing health education to postpartum women without space and time limitations is a simple nursing intervention helps in improving healing procedure. Aim: To evaluate the impact of Virtual Care on Postpartum Pain and Episiotomy healing among Primiparous subjects. Design A quasi-experimental study (control- study group) Setting: At the obstetric unit of Banha University Maternity Hospital. Sample: 126 females. Tools: four tools were used: I) a structured interview questionnaire; II Visual Analogue Scale; III The standardized REEDA scales and Women satisfaction Likert scale. Results: The current study illustrated 60.3% of study group has no pain after 7 days of intervention compared to 0% of control group, also 38.7% of control group has severe pain after 7days of delivery compared to 0% in study group. as well 60.3 % of study group had complete episiotomy healing compared to 31.7% of control group , There was a high significant direct correlation between reduction of pain intensity and healing process levels among the study group throughout follow up days of the study (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The current study concluded that application of virtual care proved to be effective in decreasing the postpartum pain intensity and enhancing episiotomy healing process. Recommendations: application of virtual care should be integrated as nursing intervention for women during postpartum period.