ABSTRACT
A need existed in New Mexico to enhance the skills of nurses in rural areas in the management of high-risk perinatal patients. However, barriers prohibited initiating such a program, including: a) program development and approval; b) legal and insurance issues; c) determining financial responsibility; and d) application and selection process. Resolving these problems came in the form of a collaborative effort among three departments at the University of New Mexico. A preceptor program of clinical and classroom experiences was developed for nurses outside of the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Evaluations of the program at six months revealed that program participants had implemented changes in their nursing practice. Revisions of the program and plans for the future are discussed.
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Continuing/organization & administration , Maternal-Child Nursing/education , Preceptorship/organization & administration , Pregnancy, High-Risk , Rural Health , Clinical Competence , Curriculum , Female , Humans , Pilot Projects , PregnancyABSTRACT
To prevent nipple soreness, mothers who are breastfeeding are counseled to limit the time their infant feeds in the early postpartum period. No evidence supports this method of prevention. To the contrary, nursing and medical literature report that this practice is not effective and that its use should be discontinued. Nursing interventions to prevent nipple problems are presented.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Breast Diseases/etiology , Breast Diseases/nursing , Breast Diseases/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Infant Care/methods , Infant, Newborn , Methods , Nipples , Patient Education as Topic , Time FactorsABSTRACT
An increasing number of women today are choosing to have their babies at home. Health professionals concerned about the welfare of both mother and baby sometime tend to respond to these mothers by lecturing rather than listening. This tends to block communication. As a result, women become frustrated and often leave the health care system. This paper attempts to understand the behavior of women who seek a home birth and hypothesizes that these women are responding in a normal, healthy manner to threats imposed by present maternity care. Viewing women who seek home birth from this perspective would tend to facilitate communication. Through open communication the home birth option can be viewed not as a movement or fad, but as a growth period for women and maternity care.
