EVALUATING NURSE–MIDWIFE COLLABORATION IN ANTENATAL CARE FOR HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES: A SYSTEMIC AND CLINICAL EVALUATION

Abstract

This paper provides an extensive evaluation of the efficacy and operational dynamics of nurse–midwife collaboration within the specialized context of antenatal care for women facing high-risk pregnancies. High-risk conditions, ranging from complex maternal co-morbidities (e.g., pre-existing cardiac disease) to acute gestational complications (e.g., severe pre-eclampsia, placenta previa), necessitate a continuous, specialized, and highly integrated approach that often exceeds the traditional scope of a single professional discipline. This research utilizes a comprehensive mixed-methods framework, leveraging detailed process analysis alongside simulated quantitative survey data, to assess critical collaborative metrics including communication efficacy, role boundary clarity, and the frequency of Shared Decision-Making (SDM). Simulated findings indicate that the implementation of formalized, standardized protocols for interprofessional communication and joint care planning—rooted in structured frameworks like the SBAR model- yields highly significant positive outcomes. These outcomes include a dramatic reduction in the Role Ambiguity Index {RAI}, enhanced provider perception of communication clarity, and a measurable decrease in reported clinical near-miss events. The study concludes that optimal collaborative care in high-risk obstetrics is a systemic design challenge. It requires health systems to proactively invest in structural components such as interprofessional education {IPE} and mandated joint electronic health record {EHR} documentation, ultimately fostering a resilient culture of mutual respect and accountability essential for mitigating system fragmentation and improving maternal-fetal surveillance and clinical efficiency.