Becoming the best mom that I can: women's experiences of managing depression during pregnancy – a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to develop a theoretical model that explains women's processes of managing diagnosed depression when pregnant.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We explored the experiences of 19 women in Ontario who were diagnosed with depression during their pregnancy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The model that emerged from the analysis was becoming the best mom that I can. Becoming the best mom that I can explains the complex process of the women's journey as they travel from the depths of despair, where the depression is perceived to threaten their pregnancy and their ability to care for the coming baby, to arrive at knowing the self and being in a better place. In order to reground the self and regain control of their lives, the women had to recognize the problem, overcome shame and embarrassment, identify an understanding healthcare provider, and consider the consequences of the depression and its management. When confronting and confining the threat of depression, the women employed strategies of overcoming barriers, gaining knowledge, and taking control. As a result of counseling, medication, or a combination of both, women felt that they had arrived at a better place.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>For many women, the idea that depression could occur during pregnancy was antithetical to their vision of the pregnant self. The challenge for a pregnant woman who is diagnosed with depression, is that effective care for her may jeopardize her baby's future health. This provides a dilemma for about-to-be parents and their healthcare providers. Improved awareness of depression during pregnancy on the part of healthcare professionals is needed to improve the women's understanding of this disorder and their ability to recognize and seek help with depression should it occur during the prenatal period. Further qualitative research is needed to determine the specific aspects that need to be addressed in such classes.</p

A normal lifestyle: parental stress and coping in childhood diabetes

This article forms part of an extensive literature review informing a study exploring the parental experience of home management of children with newly diagnosed diabetes. As a diagnosis of childhood diabetes may represent a major stressor event for parents, selected theories and models of stress and coping are discussed. These suggest that, Influenced by a variety of interpersonal and environmental factors, parents may approach the process of coping in different ways. Coping strategies employed by parents of children with diabetes elicited from the literature are categorized according to a psychological theory of stress and coping. Normalization, a coping strategy used by parents of chronically ill children, is discussed in relation to childhood diabetes. To conclude, implications for nursing practice are outlined and suggestions made about how parents may be assisted to cope with the demands of having a child with diabetes

O cuidado do paciente oncológico com dor crônica na ótica do enfermeiro El cuidado del paciente oncológico con dolor crónico en la visión del enfermero The care to cancer patients with chronic pain in the view of nurses

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar como o enfermeiro interpreta o cuidado com o paciente oncológico com dor crônica. O estudo foi desenvolvido com oito enfermeiros de uma instituição hospitalar. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas semi-estruturadas e na análise identificamos três categorias analíticas: a avaliação da dor crônica do paciente oncológico, a importância do cuidado multidisciplinar e as dificuldades para o cuidado do paciente. Os resultados mostram que os enfermeiros têm dificuldades em desenvolver o cuidado com o paciente devido à falta de conhecimentos específicos sobre o câncer, dor crônica e sua terapêutica, como também, nas habilidades expressivas para promoverem o apoio psicológico adequado.<br>El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar como el enfermero interpreta el cuidado para el paciente oncológico con dolor crónico. El estudio fue desarrollado con ocho enfermeros de una institución hospitalaria. Los datos fueron recolectados por entrevistas semi-estructuradas y en el análisis identificamos tres categorías analíticas: la evaluación del dolor crónico del paciente oncológico, la importancia del cuidado multidisciplinario y las dificultades para el cuidado del paciente. Los resultados muestran que los enfermeros tienen dificultades para desarrollar el cuidado con el paciente debido a la falta de conocimientos específicos con respecto al cáncer, dolor crónico y su tratamiento, como también, en las habilidades expresivas para la promoción del apoyo psicológico adecuado.<br>This study aims to understand how nurses interpret the care given to cancer patients with chronic pain. The informers were eight nurses from a public hospital. Data were collected on the basis of semi-structured interviews and the analysis identified three analytical categories: the evaluation of patients' pain, the importance of multidisciplinary care and nurses' difficulties to care for these patients. The results show that nurses have difficulties to care for such patients and need to update their specific knowledge related to cancer, chronic pain and its treatment as well as their skills to deal with emotions in order to promote adequate psychological support