Background

Objectives

A Potential Solution: Nurses in Reproductive HealthcareAnnelle Taylor MSN, NP-C1, WHNP-BC & Jacqui Quetal RN, FNP-C1

1-Nursing Students for Choice

Results

Materials and Methods

• Approximately half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended and research shows that unintended pregnancies carry a higher risk of poor outcomes.

• We sought to examine current nursing school curricula to better understand nursing training and education opportunities in comprehensive reproductive health and abortion care.

This investigation aims to address the lack of access to full scope reproductive care in the US by examining the current role that nurses play and how that is affected by current nursing school curricula and training opportunities.

1. A literature review was performed using the key words “nursing” and “reproductive health” and “abortion care”;

2. A survey was developed and piloted with nursing students;

3. Interviews were conducted with currently practicing nurses.

•3 million RNs and150,000 NPs and CNMs in a variety of practice settings in the U.S.  •Nurses offer an extensive range of reproductive health expertise including family planning, pregnancy testing, options counseling, and post-procedure care for women and their families. •In 14 states, NPs and CNMs are permitted to offer suction and/or medication abortion care. •There is no consensus on what RNs should know in this realm--no national evidence, core competencies nor any statement by a national organization– despite the current nursing workforce provision of various aspects of reproductive healthcare.

Demographic Characteristics

Educational preparation at time of survey (N=17)

Accelerated MSN 13

Accelerated BSN 3

Completed MSN 4

TOTAL 17

Very Supportive

MostlySupportive

Somewhat Supportive

Neither Supportive or Un-supportive

Unsupportive TOTALS

In your school/program, how supportive of full-scope reproductive healthcare (including abortion and contraception) are:

Other students in your specialty? 8 5 1 0 0 14

Other students in your program? 3 7 1 1 1 13

Teaching faculty in your specialty? 4 7 1 1 0 13

Teaching faculty NOT in your specialty?

0 5 3 5 0 13

Clinical faculty? 1 7 4 1 0 13

In your program, before graduation, do students in your specialty receive classroom/didactic/curriculum training in:

A few lectures More than a few NONE TOTALS

Contraceptive counseling 6 6 0 12

Pregnancy options counseling 8 4 2 14

General abortion care 9 1 3 14

Medication abortion – support role 7 1 5 13

Medication abortion – provider role 7 1 5 13

Manual vacuum aspiration 7 0 6 13

Manual vacuum aspiration 7 0 6 13

Survey Results

Interview quotes (a sampling):“MSFC is now offering an "Abortion Training Institute," but it is not currently open to nursing students. It would be GREAT if we could have something similar.”

“It was really hard to get clinical training, no matter how tenacious I was.”

“Our efforts to include more abortion and contraception information in the curriculum have encountered resistance because faculty say the program is too short and should only cover ‘normal reproductive health’ information.”

“I'm also extremely disturbed by the lack of discussion (in the classroom) and subsequent misinformation . . .”

“I'm astounded by the complete lack of knowledge about these subjects exists among nursing students and faculty in other areas of study.  I can understand a new nursing student in their first year might be clueless about contraception and family planning care but I would expect any NP practicing primary care or family NP to be well versed in these topics, not just the Women's Health faculty.”

“It is absolutely shocking to me that [our school] doesn't provide didactic and clinical training in the above areas. I had to create an interdisciplinary elective with the leader of the MSFC chapter at [our school] to learn about these topics. “

Conclusions

•Despite their range and expertise, nurses are not being used to their full potential•Nurses need to be trained to provide full scope reproductive health care, this should include students and the current nursing workforce•A national effort should be made to integrate comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (including abortion) into nursing core curriculum

Literature Review