Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Project

College/School

College of Nursing

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Project Mentor

Kathleen McBroom

Readers

Amanda Heffernan

Abstract

The maternal mortality rate has improved in the United States (U.S.) with a decreased mortality rate in 2022 of 22.3 women per 100,000 births compared to 32.9 in 2021 (Hoyert, 2024). Women and birthing individuals of color are disproportionately affected by these peripartum outcomes with the maternal mortality rate of non-Hispanic Black women being 2.6 times higher than the rate of non-Hispanic white women nationally (Hoyert, 2024). Washington State’s maternal mortality rate between 2014-2020 was 15.9 per 100,000 live births, which is lower than the national maternal mortality rate of 18.6 in this 6-year period (Washington State Department of Health [WADOH], n.d.). While peripartum-related deaths in this state remain stable compared to nationally, the mortality rate for people of color in Washington State is still 2.5 times higher than non-Hispanic White people in this state (WADOH, n.d.).

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