According to her market research, the primary reason that families do not take traditional birth courses is that the courses are expensive. In order to address this, Brio maximized the online and digital aspects of their curriculum to drastically reduce the costs to families who were primarily paying for the published course material in other classes.
The internal factor that I wish to further evaluate is that of resources within the institution. The hospital that I chose to observe and suggest the change in curriculum for was a hospital in Scottsdale. This hospital is very large and has a large labor and delivery area. Additionally, the hospital also has one-site conference space available that can be requested in advance. This space would provide the ideal place for the training, especially since the training is meant only for labor and delivery nurses within the hospital.
Additional resources to consider for the curriculum would be the need for published materials, as digital copies are less useful in a formal setting. In the past, copy machines have always been made available, so the curriculum could be copied and combined into a useable form for the nurses.
Scottsdale is a private hospital, so economic changes will not likely effect the curriculum. However, should the hospital begin cutting...
In this regard, the time-line would need to be flexible, similar to the Brio method, where the trainer can work out a realistic time frame with the hospital for nurses to participate and complete the training.
With regard to the actual curriculum, the demand for well-trained and well-educated nurses will only increase over time. By creating and utilizing a curriculum that trains nurses to do the equivalent job of a midwife, the hospital can appeal to a larger market of families and obtain optimal satisfaction from their patients.
Overall, what I learned from Brianna will be invaluable for future curriculum creation. I learned that conventional curriculum methods do not always fit into the busy, modern world and that flexibility is key when helping your target audience obtain the necessary education. Finally, I learned that there is no better incentive for nursing education than that of a happy patient.
Resources
Martin, Karin (2003). "Giving Birth Like a Girl." Gender and Society. Vol 17.1 (54-72).
The Bradley Method of Husband-Coached Childbirth. Accessed 5 Feb 2012 at http://bradleybirth.com/
Brio Birth. Accessed 5 Feb 2012 at http://www.briobirth.com/
