Ethical Issues Paper

NURS 330- Child Bearing Family

Purpose of Assignment
To examine a controversial or politically or publicly debated womens health, obstetric or neonatal issue
and present both sides equally.

Student Approach to Assignment

This assignment allowed me to analyze two sides of an ethical issue present in obstetrics.
I chose to focus on drug use in pregnant woman and explored the ethical issues such as
autonomy and child harm. I was able to conduct research on an issue and present the information
in a non-bias approach. Additionally, I was able to learn about the different ethical
considerations that are made when prosecuting mothers who were drug users during their
pregnancy. I was able to support my position with nursing literature and gained a deeper
understanding for the ethical components involved in obstetrics.
Reason for Inclusion of this Assignment in the Portfolio
I included this assignment in the portfolio because I believe it highlights my ability to use
literature to support a two-sided political issue. Furthermore, it demonstrated the use of factual
information to support a controversial issue in womens health.

v Nursing Practice
Implements traditional nursing care practices as appropriate to provide holistic health
care to diverse populations across the life span
In this paper I discuss how it is essential that nurses provide holistic care during labor
and delivery. During the care of sixteen year old pregnant drug user, I made sure I
provided holistic care by providing empathy and listening to the patient;s concerns. I
encouraged her to open up about the issues that were bothering her and informed the
nurse of our conversation. Additionally, we also implemented traditional nursing care
practices by providing continious physical assessment and planing individualized
goals.
v Communication
Expresses oneself and communicated effectively with diverse groups and discipline using
a variety of media in a variety of context.
I was able to use nursing research to support my position and was able to use research
and nursing literature to provide an unbiased paper that also provides my position.
This was written using clinical experiences, nursing research, as well as two website
sources. This paper also included two discussion boards that allowed me to

communicate my topic and position with my classmates and was able to receive
helpful feedback.
Uses therapeutic communication within the nurse-patient relationship
I was able to provide the importance of building therapeutic communication in
mothers who are drug users. I was able to provide literature that demonstrated that
therapeutic-communication makes a difference in how the mother adjusts to the
newborn. Additionally, I discussed my clinical experience with a pregnant drug user.
The nurse and I provided therapeutic communication by encouraging the patient to
discuss her concerns; her willingness to open up allowed us to obtain more
information and better advocate for both the patient and the newborn.
v Teaching
Provides relevant and sensitive health education information and counseling to patient,
and families, in a variety of situations and settings
The nurse and I made sure to educate the patient on breast feeding, skin to skin, and
the changing a diaper. The mother was a sixteen year old and did not have support
around the area. Furthermore, she had diabetes that caused frequent loss of
consiousness from episodes of hypoglycemia. We educated the patient on blood sugar
management and showed her how to manage her sugar levels at home.
Uses information technologies and other appropriate methods to enhance ones own
knowledge base.
This research paper explored the effects of drugs on the fetus and questioned the
ethical components of drug use during pregnancy. The paper presented information
using literature that explored ways to offer health awareness and education to
pregnant drug users. The paper also explored how to reduce risks such as a preterm
labor or other complications by promoting education of the effects that drugs have on
the fetus. Additionally, information was also obtained from a documentary that
presented information on the congenital effects of drugs. Research and literature
review provided me an opportunity to explore this controversial topic and assisted in
developing my position.

v Culture
Considers the impact of research outcome and, the effects of health and social policies,
on persons from diverse backgrounds.
The research that I used discussed the importance of educating pregnant women on
the effects of drugs during pregnancy and emphasized that adolescents especially
need individualized educational sessions. When I took care of a sixteen year old
pregnant patient, the nurse and I made sure that we educated her and used proper

developmental tools such as keeping the patients autonomy and making sure that she
was able to voice any concerns. This gave the patient psychosocial support and
provided the patient guidance during a transitional time.
v Leadership
Aassumes a leadership role within ones scope of practice as a designer, manager and
coordinator of healthcare to meet the special needs of vulnerable populations in a variety
of practice settings
In this paper, I discussed my care of a pregnant woman who used drugs. We
discovered that the baby was going through withdrawal. The nurse and I ensured
that the patient still received care that was unbiased. I made sure to provide the
patient support and empathy. I also made sure that the mother was able to walk to
the nursery to see her baby.
v Teaching
Evaluates the efficacy of health promotion and education modalities for use in a variety
of setting with diverse populations
In this assignment I described implementation of education about breast feeding and
skin to skin to a sixteen year old new mother, we evaluated the effectiveness of our
teaching by asking her questions; she was able to provide return demonstration and
reflect adequate knowledge on the information.

v Professionalism
Understands the effect of legal and regulatory processes on nursing practice and health
care delivery, as well as limits to ones own scope of practice
This paper identifies the legal obligation for a nurse to report any pregnant women
that use drugs. It is essential that nurses are aware of both physical and non physical
findings that suggest drug abuse. During my clinical rotation at Norfolk General
Hospital, I cared for a pregnant woman who abused cocaine. Since there are also legal
processes that protects the patient, it is essential that the nurse also treats the patient
with respect and dignity. I made sure that I provided adequate care and informed my
nurse for the tasks that were not within my scope of practice.