The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing
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J Perinat Neonatal Nurs · Apr 2019
ReviewThe Ethics of Perinatal Care for Black Women: Dismantling the Structural Racism in "Mother Blame" Narratives.
Perinatal and neonatal nurses have a critical role to play in effectively addressing the disproportionate prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes experienced by black childbearing families. Upstream inequities in maternal health must be better understood and addressed to achieve this goal. ⋯ New care models are needed and must be structured on appropriate ethical principles for serving black families in partnership with nurses. The overarching purpose of this article is to describe the ethics of perinatal care for black women; to discuss how social determinants of health, health disparities, and health inequities affecting women contribute to poor outcomes among their children; and to provide tools to dismantle structural racism specific to "mother blame" narratives." Finally, strategies are presented to enhance the provision of ethical perinatal care for black women by nurses.
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J Perinat Neonatal Nurs · Apr 2017
ReviewNitrous Oxide Utility in Labor and Birth: A Multipurpose Modality.
The use of nitrous oxide (N2O) for labor and birth has very recently emerged as a viable modality in the United States, despite a long history of use in Canada and Europe. Usually associated with dental procedures, there are significant differences between dental and parturition utility, efficacy, and staff exposure. ⋯ Nitrous oxide has proven to be especially helpful for repair of lacerations under local anesthesia and is a multiuse modality that should be available to women in all birth settings. This article explores the history of N2O use, provides a comparison of obstetrical use to use in the dental industry, examines the contraindications to, and implications for usage, and discusses logistical points of consideration for clinicians working with women using N2O for labor and birth.
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J Perinat Neonatal Nurs · Jul 2013
ReviewSleep-wake cycling in a neonate admitted to the NICU: a video-EEG case study during hypothermia treatment.
This retrospective case study describes the sleep-wake cycles of an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit. We analyzed video-electroencephalographic recording of the term infant monitored during treatment with therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The continuous video-electroencephalographic recording over a 4-day period also allowed us to describe the following dimensions of daily care in relation to the infant's sleep-wake states: (1) handling by professional and parent caregivers and (2) stress, pain, and analgesia. ⋯ This case study suggests that neonatal intensive care unit infants are exposed to frequent handling and stress as well as altered sleep. The cumulative negative impact of frequent handling and sleep fragmentation may go unnoticed by caregivers focused on episodes of care. Continuous video-electroencephalographic monitoring is a useful tool for longitudinal evaluation of infant sleep and responses to caregiving in the neonatal intensive care unit.
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J Perinat Neonatal Nurs · Jul 2012
ReviewIntegrative literature review defining evidence-based neurodevelopmental supportive care of the preterm infant.
Neurodevelopmental supportive care (NDSC) is a well-researched topic and extensive evidence is available on its benefits in terms of the outcome for preterm infants. The programs, strategies, and individual elements of NDSC have been evaluated; however, knowledge and implementation of the developmental care approach is fragmented and the evidence base for elements of NDSC that make up the holistic model is not explicitly documented. The aim of this study was to identify and critically appraise the methodologic quality of relevant research studies and synthesize the current best available evidence of NDSC. ⋯ They described or defined the elements of NDSC explicitly. Extraction of data from these articles contributed to the formulation of 25 conclusion statements. Each of these statements could be grouped under 9 categories that resulted from a process of synthesis, and each of these categories could be substantiated from its literature support, clinical impact, and supporting evidence, including the specific literature references and volume and level of evidence associated with that element of NDSC, providing the evidence base for defining NDSC.