Nursing diagnoses applied to patients with hypovolemic shock due to postpartum hemorrhage

Abstract

Introduction: postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), defined as blood loss of 500 ml or more within the first 24 hours postpartum accompanied by signs of shock, remains a leading cause of maternal mortality. The 'code red' protocol is a key strategy employed by healthcare teams to reduce these rates. As nursing staff play an active role in its management, their interventions must be timely, evidence-based, and aligned with the Nursing Care Process (NCP), which includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Objective: to identify the primary nursing diagnoses in patients with hypovolaemic shock due to PPH. Methodology: A non-systematic narrative literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, SciELO and Dialnet databases. Selected documents met inclusion criteria as studies published between 2014-2024 in Spanish or English, including scientific articles, review articles and case studies. Results and Discussion: the most frequent nursing diagnosis was 'Deficient Fluid Volume' (NANDA-I: *00027*), prioritised in most reviewed cases. The need for NCP-based protocols to optimise nursing team response was highlighted. Conclusion: the 'Deficient Fluid Volume' diagnosis is crucial in the initial management of PPH-induced hypovolaemic shock. Its systematic application alongside associated diagnoses improves clinical outcomes. Continuous NCP training and implementation of standardised clinical guidelines are recommended.