Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, Essay Example

Postpartum depression (PPD) may be moderate to harsh type of depression, which starts within three months after childbirth. This kind of depression can have lasting impacts on the life of the mother, child, and the family. A depressed mother may dangerously retard her child’s rate of development. PPD is one field nursing has a lot to provide based on screening, treatment, as well as education. Nurses by the nature of their duties have regular contact with women they interact when they attend maternity and play a leading role in their primary healthcare during pregnancy, and postpartum period; therefore, they may screen, evaluate risk and protective barriers. As nurse leader in a maternity unit, screening is only the initial stage, since once depression is recognized, treatment is essential; nonetheless, might be obtained. The nurses should regularly interact with women in the postpartum period positions to offer continuum services that comprises of education concerning depression, making referrals, as well as offering counseling (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program: BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, 2006).

There are numerous tools that have been proved to reduce cases of PPD, but education has been proved an effective method. Bowles et al (2003) study demonstrated that offering women with information regarding PPD contributed to a lesser score on screening as compared to women who did not get any such education.

As a nurse leader, founded on my experience dealing with women in maternity, I learned that screening goes beyond education. The nursing responsibility is not restricted to screening or offering educational programs, but some degree of intervention through counseling is helpful in treating mild to moderate levels of PPD. It is the duty of all providers of care for pregnant female to take the inventiveness to implement a program for early screening, as well as education of PPD (Bowles et al, 2003).

References

BC Reproductive Mental Health Program: BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre. (2006).Addressing perinatal depression; a framework for BC’s Health Authorities. Retrieved on March 10, 2015  from http://www.bcmhas.ca/NR/rdonlyres/1076EDD8-CEE9-451F-E1BD5C3B2DD2DBD/0/BCRMH_CWD_Sept2011.

Bowles, B., Coleman, N., & Jansen, L. (2003). Postpartum Mood Disorders: The Nurses Role in Identification and Intervention. Retrieved March 10, 2015 from http://faculty.mwsu.edu/nursing/lauren.jansen/ppmdpaper.pdf.