ABSTRACT
Over the past 2 decades, more women in the United States are engaging in excessive alcohol use, including women of reproductive age. Consuming alcohol in amounts greater than recommended limits is associated with an increased risk for adverse health effects, such as breast cancer, hypertension stroke, spontaneous abortion, and infertility. No safe time, safe amount, or safe type of alcohol to consume during pregnancy has been identified. Contradictory beliefs about alcohol use, fear of stigmatization, and potential legal consequences can provide challenges for health care providers who communicate these risks to clients. Health care providers can help to prevent alcohol-related health issues, including alcohol-exposed pregnancies, by providing their clients with factual information about alcohol and health and client-centered options for reducing their health risks. Clinicians can use alcohol screening and brief intervention as a framework for applying the ethical principles of autonomy, veracity, beneficence, and nonmaleficence when talking with women in ways that are nonstigmatizing and supportive to help reduce their health risks and prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking , Mass Screening , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , United StatesABSTRACT
Nurse practitioners can help women 40 and older make contraceptive choices that are effective, safe, and appropriate. The noncontraceptive benefits of some methods may be particularly relevant to women in this age group. Providing women with information about continuing fertility as they approach menopause and when it is safe to discontinue contraception may help to reduce unplanned pregnancies.
Subject(s)
Age Factors , Contraception/nursing , Contraceptive Agents, Female/therapeutic use , Adult , Bone Density/drug effects , Breast Neoplasms/chemically induced , Contraceptive Agents, Female/adverse effects , Female , Fractures, Bone/chemically induced , Humans , Middle Aged , Nurse Practitioners , Osteoporosis/chemically induced , Patient Education as Topic , Risk FactorsSubject(s)
Contraceptives, Oral, Combined , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal , Decision Making , Intrauterine Devices , Obesity , Adult , Cardiovascular Diseases/chemically induced , Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control , Contraceptives, Oral, Combined/administration & dosage , Contraceptives, Oral, Combined/adverse effects , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal/administration & dosage , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal/adverse effects , Contraindications , Diabetes Mellitus/chemically induced , Diabetes Mellitus/prevention & control , Evidence-Based Medicine , Female , Humans , Obesity/therapy , Risk Assessment , Venous Thromboembolism/chemically induced , Venous Thromboembolism/prevention & control , Weight GainABSTRACT
The concept of global health is evolving with a growing recognition that international social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural issues affect health and health care around the world. Nurse faculty are challenged to find ways to prepare future nurses to provide care in an environment that is increasingly affected by globalization. This article presents results of a national survey of schools of nursing designed to identify a consensus definition for global health, attributes of the concept, and ways in which global health is identified and addressed in nursing curricula. Attributes of global health identified in this study are congruent with the literature. Implications for educators are presented, along with examples of how technology can be used to facilitate global interactions.
