In the United States, approximately six million women are pregnant each year, and nearly half a million of these women give birth to babies without adequate prenatal care (American Pregnancy Association, 2012). Without the proper care and recommended pregnancy procedures and screenings, the potential for pregnancy complications increases, putting the mother and baby’s health at risk. In your role as the advanced practice nurse, how can you facilitate care for these women and their babies? How would you modify pregnancy care plans to meet the unique needs of each individual patient?
This week as you begin to explore obstetrics, you consider care plans for pregnant patients, including implications of missed procedures and screenings. You also examine the impact of sociocultural factors on these care plans.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this week, students will:
•Assess estimated date of delivery for pregnant patients
•Evaluate clinical implications of missed procedures and screenings in pregnant patients
•Analyze care plans for pregnant patients
•Evaluate the impact of sociocultural factors on patient care plans
•Understand and apply key terms, principles, and concepts related to obstetrics
•Evaluate diagnoses for patients
•Evaluate treatment and management plans
•Evaluate vaginal infections in patients*
•Evaluate common gynecologic conditions in patients*
•Analyze treatment modalities for common gynecologic conditions*
•Evaluate breast conditions in patients*
*These Learning Objectives support assignments that are due this week, but were assigned in Weeks 4–6.
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Schuiling, K. D., & Likis, F. E. (2017). Women’s gynecologic health (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
•Chapter 30, “Diagnosis of Pregnancy and Overview of Prenatal Care” (pp. 781-797)
This chapter examines the diagnosis of pregnancy, routine prenatal care, and patient education strategies for pregnant women.
Tharpe, N. L., Farley, C., & Jordan, R. G. (2017). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery & women’s health (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
•Chapter 2, “Care of the Woman During Pregnancy” (pp. 49-90)
This chapter explores the care of women during pregnancy, including common health conditions and health promotion.
Assignment
Practicum – Focused SOAP Note and Time Log
Select a patient whom you examined during the last three weeks. With this patient in mind, address the following in a Focused SOAP Note:
•Subjective: What details did the patient provide regarding her personal and medical history?
•Objective: What observations did you make during the physical assessment?
•Assessment: What were your differential diagnoses? Provide a minimum of three possible diagnoses. List them from highest priority to lowest priority. What was your primary diagnosis and why?
•Plan: What was your plan for diagnostics and primary diagnosis? What was your plan for treatment and management, including alternative therapies? Include pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments, alternative therapies, and follow-up parameters, as well as a rationale for this treatment and management plan.
•Reflection notes: What would you do differently in a similar patient evaluation?
