LESSON 9
PATIENT EDUCATION DURING PREGNANCY
9-1.
GENERAL
The practical nurse can play a significant role in the process of providing patient
education during pregnancy. The prenatal patient, especially the first-time mother, may
have many questions and concerns about this period in her life. Much of the
information she may have is probably inaccurate or incomplete. You, as a practical
nurse, must provide accurate and complete information about self-care concerns, diet
needs, what to expect as labor and delivery approaches, and the dangers within the
environment, which may affect the health of the unborn infant.
9-2.
TYPES OF EDUCATION FOR PRENATAL PATIENTS PREPARING FOR
Individual teaching and counseling, information groups, discussion or counseling
groups, and prepared childbirth groups are the types of education that are presented in
this lesson.
a. Individual Teaching and Counseling.
(1) One-to-one teaching. This type of teaching is used in all nursing
settings. It teaches on an individual basis as needed. One-to-one teaching is beneficial
in teaching patients to understand and to adapt to health problems with a pregnancy.
(2) Counseling. This entails an interchange of opinions or giving of advice.
It is more personal and feeling-oriented. When counseling is used in combination with
facts, it enhances learning. It takes into account the patient's feelings.
b. Information Groups.
(1) These are planned groups to serve everyone in the community. It
provides information on the physiology of childbearing, general hygiene, nutrition during
pregnancy and lactation, preparations for the baby, and care of the mother and baby
after delivery.
(2) Methods of presentation include lecture, films and slides, questions and
discussion, and tours of appropriate areas (labor and delivery, newborn, and
postpartum).
(3) These groups are organized by the American National Red Cross, the
YWCA, Public Health Departments, Adult Education Programs at community
schools/colleges, hospitals, and groups of physicians.
MD0921
9-2