Nursing- Rising Cases of Maternal Deaths
My home district has experienced rising cases of maternal deaths, which is primarily attributed to botched abortion procedures. These maternal deaths are experienced mainly among women who are aged 13-24 years, many of whom are first-time mothers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “…an unsafe abortion is a procedure for terminating a pregnancy carried out by persons lacking the required skills, or in an environment which does not conform to minimum medical standards or both.” In my county, the rising number of deaths due to unsafe abortions is often because the abortion practices are often done clandestinely, usually by untrained professionals, which are often illegal methods. Besides, there has been a reported number of women performing abortions themselves, using home-made methods, which are often very risky, even fatal. The growing trend of unsafe abortions is due to societal shame and stigma, which is often associated with young, unmarried women who get pregnant. Moreover, some of them are often poor and unable to support themselves and their babies (or even pay for proper abortion services), thus resort to unsafe ways of conducting an abortion, and this causes medical problems, which could also prove fatal.
According to Hunt (2012), QSEN, which stands for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, is a national initiative which identifies the knowledge and competencies, skills, and attitudes needed by nurses to continually improve health care. As the author further points out, some of the six core competencies, including evidence-based practice, patient-based practice, safety, quality improvement, informatics, and teamwork and collaboration. In light of the problem of maternal death in my district, some of the QSEN competencies being highlighted include safety, patient-based practice, and quality improvement.
Safety
Safety practices are hindered when the set medical procedures do not adhere to pharmaceutical standards of health and safety, which is not only a violation of rules but can also prove fatal for the patient receiving medical care, QSEN institute (2008).
I would implement the QSEN competency area of safety, as it is clear that for many abortion cases in my district, lack of adherence to safety practices when conducting abortions has been of crucial concern. By implementing safety practices, I would ensure that all pregnant teenage women receive proper guidance and medical consultation, as well as referrals to medical centers where they can receive the medical services they need, like for those procuring abortions. I would also offer a toll-free line for abortion-related emergencies so that these young mothers would not have to lose their lives.
Conclusion
To improve safety in health care is to acknowledge the importance of standardized and approved medical procedures, which, in the case of my district, had been long ignored. Educating young and teenage mothers on reproductive sciences, health, and safety, as well as safe abortion services, is crucial in ensuring the health, well-being, and security of mothers. Involving these young mothers when giving them critical care, will also go a long way to promote safe abortion, and reduce instances of maternal death in my district.
References
Preheim, G., Armstrong, G., & Barton, A. (2009). The New Fundamentals in Nursing: Introducing Beginning Quality and Safety Education for Nurses’ Competencies. Journal of Nursing Education, 48(12), 694-697. Doi: 10.3928/01484834-20091113-10Preheim, G., Armstrong, G., & Barton, A. (2009).
The New Fundamentals in Nursing: Introducing Beginning Quality and Safety Education for Nurses’ Competencies. Journal of Nursing Education, 48(12), 694-697. Doi: 10.3928/01484834-20091113-10
Hunt, Deborah. (2012). QSEN competencies. 10. 1-3. 10.1097/01.NME.0000418040.92006.70.