ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the psychosocial, educational, and administrative support needs of labor and delivery (L&D) nurses who care for women undergoing pregnancy termination. DESIGN: A qualitative, descriptive design. SETTING: This study was conducted on a L&D unit at a large, university-affiliated hospital in Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 10 L&D nurses participated in this study. Ages of participants ranged from 25 to 55 years, and experience on the unit ranged from 1 to 30 years. METHODS: One-time, face-to-face interviews were conducted with each participant. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Participants valued interpersonal support from nurse colleagues and guidance from experienced nurses in managing the emotional aspect of this care. They raised concerns about the effect of nursing workload and patient-to-nurse ratios on patient care. Nurses noted a desire for knowledge and skill-building through access to evidence-based literature, continuing education sessions, and workshops. They also expressed a need for more information regarding the genetic counseling process and community resources available to women undergoing pregnancy termination. CONCLUSION: Ensuring continuity of care through knowledge sharing related to genetic counseling and community resources creates the context for holistic patient care. Increased attention to the particular needs of L&D nurses providing care to women undergoing termination may enhance the quality and safety of care for this unique population.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Eugenic , Education, Nursing, Continuing , Emotional Intelligence , Obstetric Nursing/standards , Personnel Administration, Hospital , Workload , Abortion, Eugenic/nursing , Abortion, Eugenic/psychology , Adult , Attitude of Health Personnel , Education, Nursing, Continuing/methods , Education, Nursing, Continuing/standards , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Middle Aged , Nurse's Role , Personnel Administration, Hospital/methods , Personnel Administration, Hospital/standards , Pregnancy , Professional Competence/standards , Quebec , Surveys and QuestionnairesSubject(s)
Anxiety/nursing , Dreams/psychology , Prenatal Diagnosis/nursing , Abortion, Eugenic/nursing , Abortion, Eugenic/psychology , Anxiety/psychology , Chromosome Aberrations , Down Syndrome/nursing , Down Syndrome/psychology , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Mass Screening , Maternal Age , Patient Care Team , Pregnancy , Prenatal Diagnosis/psychologyABSTRACT
O tema aborto pode desencadear diferentes reações, desde o silêncio até inflamadas discussões. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender como a equipe de enfermagem (re)age frente a possibilidade de participar da realização de um aborto legal. Optamos pelo caráter qualitativo de pesquisa, mediante entrevistas semi-estruturadas realizadas com 14 membros da equipe de enfermagem das unidades de internação obstétrica de dois hospitais do sul do país, em 2003. A maioria dos membros da equipe de enfermagem aceita participar da realização de abortos legais. Percebem o aborto eugênico, em casos de anencefalia, como um procedimento inevitável, manifestando desde sentimentos de dor, comoção e pena até constrangimento e culpa. A participação dos profissionais na realização de abortos legais tem favorecido a revisão de seus valores, sentimentos e até possíveis modificações no modo de enfrentar tais situações.
