Date of Award

Spring 5-25-2024

Document Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscript

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Razel Bacuetes Milo, PhD, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, AAOPM-BC, APRN

Abstract

Background: Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Approximately 6%–10% of pregnancies in the United States are complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus, yet postpartum diabetes screening rates are low nationwide.

Purpose: This project focused on implementing a multi-modal reminder system to increase adherence to postpartum diabetes screening, or the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, for women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus in the 4-12 weeks postpartum period.

Evidence-Based Practice Change: The multi-modal reminder system was comprised of an educational session for the staff reviewing current clinical guidelines and recommendations for postpartum diabetes screening, referrals to diabetes centers for patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus, standardized patient education in the antepartum period, and a nurse practitioner-led follow-up.

Outcomes: The 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test was ordered for 62.5% of the patients and improved the provider ordering rate by 50%. Screening was completed by 25% of the patients. One patient was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus postpartum.

Conclusions: The increased ordering rates of the postpartum diabetes screen establish evidence for the continued and growing use of a multi-model reminder system approach to improve adherence to postpartum diabetes screening.

Keywords: postpartum, diabetes screening, glucose tolerance test, gestational diabetes mellitus, reminder systems

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Available for download on Thursday, April 30, 2026

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