Doula Partnership Agreement With Samaritan Health

Welcome to Samaritan Health Services! Thank you for partnering with us to enhance our patient’s birth experience. Our goal is to work collaboratively with you in providing care that is centered around the safety and support of the laboring woman, and to follow Samaritan’s PRIDE statement. To provide the best care for our patients, we ask that you review the information below regarding the expectations of a doula participating in patient support at SHS.

Doulas Will: 

• Provide continuous emotional reassurance and comfort for the entire labor experience to the extent patient desires. 
• Offer encouraging guidance and help with comfort measures during labor. Examples: Breathing and relaxation techniques, movement and positioning as allowed by health care provider, and provide back, leg and neck massage. 
• Foster a positive environment and support communication between patient and medical staff. Encouraging conversations with healthcare team with concerns and questions

Doulas will not:

• Diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, or give medical advice. 
• Perform clinical tasks, such as vaginal exams, assessing fetal heart tones, perineal massage, adjusting medical equipment, or adjusting/administering medications. 
• Make decisions for, speak for, or project their own values on the patient and their labor. 
• Make derogatory or judgmental comments regarding members of the medical team or their recommendations for treatment plan. 

Doulas will adhere to hospital guidelines that are in place for the safety of patients and the entire health care team. These include, but are not limited to:

• Visitation guidelines: Please refer to Samaritan Health Services website for continual updates to the systemwide visitor policy. 
• Doulas will not be allowed in operating room if there is a need for Cesarean section unless the doula is the patient’s only support person. 
• Birth Plans are reviewed with our maternity care coordinators prior to admission, including discussing the need for patient’s doula to review and sign this form for doula to participate in labor support in this facility.

The healthcare team reserves the right to ask you to leave if you are not adhering to these guidelines.