Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay Assignment Paper
Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay Assignment Paper
In your Journal summarize personal and professional achievements and accomplishments that you have completed throughout the baccalaureate nursing program at EC that refer to EPSLO 4: Incorporate nursing’s professional core values, standards of practice, guidelines, commitment to excellence, and lifelong learning as a basis for professional nursing practice. Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay
Attach a minimum of at least two examples of your work that supports EPSLO 4 noted above. Save your Journal entry as your Self-Appraisal for each module in your word document. The professor will request that you submit your journal entries for informal feedback at the end of each module. A Title page of this assignment with a summary of accomplishments (no more than 2 pages in length) is required with attached files as supportive evidence for each EPSLO. A minimum of one or two examples is required to support each EPSLO.
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Substance abuse is a mental illness that refers to the unsafe or misuse use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs (World Health Organization [WHO], 2018). Psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome. Dependence syndrome includes behavioural, cognitive, and physiological sensations that develop following frequent use. Such syndromes include the urge to consume, difficulties with regulating substance use, continual use despite consequences, increased tolerance, and states of withdrawal (WHO, 2018). Furthermore, substance abuse during pregnancy is more prevailing than conceptualized, with up to 25% of child bearing women using illicit drugs. Substance abuse is significantly more common among women of reproductive ages than women in other populations. That being said, the average pregnant woman will take approximately four to five drugs during the duration of their pregnancy whereas 82% of those women take prescribed substances and 65% use nonprescription substances, including illicit drugs and alcohol (Wilson & Thorp, 2018). This paper will discuss substance abuse in pregnancy in relation to perinatal nursing. The incidence, physiology, morbidity and mortality with respect to the effects on the newborn and plan for labour and delivery, emotion and psychological support, discharge and follow up plans, in addition to nursing interventions, roles, and special considerations will be discussed.
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Incidence
Maternal substance abuse has reached levels of critical concern in North America over the past years. Wendell (2013), depicted that women currently represent 30% of the user population, with a majority of child bearing aged women. Substance abuse among the pregnant population varies significantly and is reflective of social status and income, race, age, cultural beliefs and norms, education and methods of screening for substance abuse (Cook et al., 2017). In addition, multiple risk factors for substance abuse include previous addictions, history of psychotic illness, history of physical or sexual abuse and environmental pressures (Wendell, 2013). According to Wendell (2013), the 2010 National Survey of Drug Use and Health reported an increase in the use of illicit drugs and alcohol among pregnant women. Trends suggest that tobacco, followed by alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, are by far the most commonly abused by this population (Cook et al., 2017). In Canada, new mothers reported that during their pregnancy 10.5% smoked cigarettes, 10.5% drank alcohol, and 1% used street drugs. However, one year later, the Perinatal Health Report revealed data depicting an overall increase in alcohol consumption and signifiant increases in smoking and drug use (Cook et al., 2017). These not so shocking trends are consistent with those observed in the United States, North America, and worldwide (Cook et al., 2017). Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay
Physiology
Alcohol and illicit drugs have a significant impact on the human body. A significant number of health concerns arise from substance abuse. Liver problems as a result of alcohol consumption, respiratory impairment and lung cancers related to smoking, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis from injecting drugs, are a few examples supporting the impact that such substances have on the body (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment [CSAT], 2009). According to CSAT (2009), women who partake in substance abuse may have physiological problems related to gynecology. Impairments may be seen in women’s menstrual cycles, with cramping and changes with the duration and volume of menstruation. On the other hand, women who use illicit drugs can experience amenorrhea, misleading them regarding the signs of pregnancy or withdrawal (CSAT, 2009). Women’s substance use also poses risks to the unborn fetus, although the total damage that substance abuse has on a fetus is not fully studied and known. Fetal brain development is the most studied and the greatest life-threatening effect of substance abuse during pregnancy (Wang, 2014). A constant misuse of alcohol and illicit drugs during the first half of the pregnancy is likely to harm the wiring and connections of the brain which allows for the optimal brain development, maturity, and ability to learn (Wang, 2014). Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay
Morbidity and Mortality: The Effects on newborn & plan of care for Labour and delivery
Substance abuse, both drugs and alcohol, during pregnancy is associated with mother and fetus mortality and morbidity. There is a strong correlation between substance use and a high-risk pregnancy and delivery. Substances such as opioids, smoking, and alcohol have proven increased risks of preterm labour, early onset delivery, poor or lack of fetal growth and development, and stillbirths (Whiteman et al., 2014). Increased hospital stays postpartum, exceeding five days, is common for mothers of substance abuse. In addition, during their extended stay, mothers of substance abuse are more likely to experience the complications, as significant as death (Whiteman et al., 2014). Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Essay
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