NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 1 Demonstrating Effective Leadership

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 8002 Collaboration, Communication, and Case Analysis for Doctoral Learners

Prof. Name

Date

Demonstrating Effective Leadership

The United States continues to face alarmingly high maternal morbidity and mortality rates compared to other developed countries. The issue has worsened in recent years, with maternal deaths rising by 40% in 2021 from the previous year (Hoyert, 2021). Racial and ethnic disparities remain a central factor, with Black women encountering a risk of pregnancy-related death that is three to four times higher than their white counterparts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). In response, initiatives like the CDC’s Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) were introduced to enhance maternal care processes. However, the success of these programs relies heavily on effective, locally-driven leadership.

In Palm Beach County, Florida, a targeted effort has been established through a multidisciplinary coalition aimed at improving Black maternal health outcomes. The coalition intends to identify systemic issues, understand root causes, and implement strategies aligned with evidence-based practices. This leadership approach involves collaborating with health professionals, community stakeholders, and advocacy organizations to address persistent disparities through tailored interventions. By prioritizing ethical care, inclusivity, and culturally sensitive practices, the coalition exemplifies a leadership model designed to influence maternal health outcomes positively at the community level.

Contributing Factors

Maternal mortality in the United States rose by nearly 20% in 2020, far surpassing rates observed in other developed nations (Johnson, 2022). Defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days postpartum from pregnancy-related causes, maternal mortality disproportionately impacts Black women, who are at three to four times higher risk than white or Hispanic women (Collier & Molina, 2021). The primary medical causes include hypertension, blood clots, and hemorrhage, though underlying systemic issues often play an equally significant role (Johnson, 2022).

Florida, particularly its southern regions, consistently reports some of the nation’s highest maternal mortality rates (Snyder et al., 2020). These disparities persist despite overall socioeconomic and educational progress, underscoring how structural barriers — including implicit bias, systemic racism, fragmented care, and insufficient access to healthcare services — contribute to poor outcomes (Wang et al., 2021). Additionally, preventable conditions such as cardiomyopathy and eclampsia disproportionately impact Black women, highlighting a pressing need for health system reforms and culturally sensitive interventions (MacDorman et al., 2021). Structural inequities and perceived discrimination in medical settings further exacerbate these risks, demanding community-focused leadership initiatives to address both medical and social determinants of health (Bravender, 2020).

Coalition to Address Maternal Morbidity

In Palm Beach County, a multidisciplinary coalition has been formed to improve maternal outcomes for Black women. This team comprises an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, a Certified Nurse Midwife, a Labor & Delivery Registered Nurse, a Doula, and a representative from the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Palm Beach County, Inc. Their collaborative mission is to identify factors contributing to adverse maternal outcomes and implement patient-centered, evidence-based care interventions.

However, several issues can impede interprofessional collaboration. These include role ambiguity, inconsistent communication, time constraints, and hierarchical conflicts, particularly between obstetricians and midwives. Without clearly defined responsibilities, trust, and mutual respect, the coalition’s work could be compromised (Downey et al., 2018).

To enhance collaboration, the coalition prioritizes establishing shared goals, open lines of communication, and clear role delineation. Equal involvement in decision-making processes and partnerships with like-minded community organizations further strengthens the coalition’s impact. Anti-bias training and culturally responsive care initiatives are embedded within the coalition’s practices to reduce disparities and promote equitable care (Varkey, 2021). Ethical considerations, such as promoting justice, beneficence, respect, and equity, guide the coalition’s strategies in addressing maternal health inequities.

Diversity and inclusion remain central to the coalition’s success. Diverse coalitions foster environments that respect and incorporate varied lived experiences and cultural perspectives. Research confirms that diverse and inclusive coalitions tend to achieve higher rates of success, as they encourage innovation, empathy, and improved service delivery for marginalized groups (Junk, 2019).

A review of current literature highlights promising interventions for addressing maternal health disparities. Community-informed care models that account for structural determinants of health are particularly effective. Furthermore, diversifying the healthcare workforce, embedding cultural sensitivity in healthcare education, and enhancing interprofessional training programs are recommended as vital components for improving maternal health outcomes and reducing racial disparities (Julian et al., 2020).

Table 1

Summary of Key Aspects in Addressing Maternal Morbidity

Category	Details	References
Contributing Factors	Racial disparities, healthcare access barriers, implicit bias, systemic racism	CDC, 2019; Johnson, 2022; MacDorman et al., 2021
Coalition Composition	Multidisciplinary team (Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Midwife, RN, Doula, Coalition Representative)	Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Palm Beach County, Inc.; Downey et al., 2018
Strategies for Improvement	Community-informed care models, anti-bias and cultural sensitivity training, equitable care initiatives	Julian et al., 2020; Varkey, 2021

References

Bravender, R. (2020). ‘It’s not fine.’ Black mothers and babies are dying in Florida. Florida Phoenix.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Pregnancy-related deaths. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/pregnancy-related-deaths.html

NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 1 Demonstrating Effective Leadership

Collier, A. Y., & Molina, R. L. (2021). Maternal mortality in the United States: Updates on trends, causes, and solutions. Neoreviews, 20(10), e561-e574. https://doi.org/10.1542/neo.20-10-e561

Downey, L. M., Ireson, C. L., Slavova, S., & McKee, G. (2018). Defining elements of success: A critical pathway of coalition development. Health Promotion Practice, 9(2), 130-139. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839907307885

Hoyert, D. L. (2021). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2021. NCHS Health E-Stats. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:123292

Julian, Z., Robles, D., Whetstone, S., Perritt, J. B., Jackson, A. V., Hardeman, R. R., & Scott, K. A. (2020). Community-informed models of perinatal and reproductive health services. Seminars in Perinatology, 44(5), 151267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semperi.2020.151267

Junk, W. M. (2019). When diversity works: The effects of coalition composition on success. American Journal of Political Science, 63(3), 660-674. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12433

MacDorman, M. F., Declercq, E., & Cabral, H. (2021). Racial disparities in maternal mortality: A call for action. Journal of Women’s Health, 30(6), 799-805. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8870

Snyder, L., Sederer, L., & Munn, L. (2020). Addressing maternal health disparities in the United States. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 26(4), 365-372. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001022

Varkey, P. (2021). Ensuring quality and equity in maternal care. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 13, 27-35. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S290568

Wang, Y., Lee, L., & Myers, R. (2021). Systemic inequities in maternal health: Bridging the gap. American Journal of Public Health, 111(7), 1180-1186. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306225

NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 1 Demonstrating Effective Leadership

Zhu, Y. (2022). Smart remote personal health monitoring system: Addressing challenges of missing and conflicting data. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144918