How Access to Medical Care for Minor Female Patients Who are Pregnant Changed in Recent Years, and the Impact on OB Nurses from Performing Their Duties

How Access to Medical Care for Minor Female Patients Who are Pregnant Changed in Recent Years, and the Impact on OB Nurses from Performing Their Duties

The focus of this paper will be to explore my chosen career pathway of nursing with a specific concentration on the sub-disciplines of OBGYN or Labor & Delivery, examine the research-based career pathway-specific diversity-based issue/problem of access to medical care for minor, female patients who are pregnant and explain its cause using the psychological theory of Social Cognitive Theory of Albert Bandura.

Nursing is the long-held flame of passion in my heart, as it fills me with a profound desire to be meaningfully involved in women’s health care while they are experiencing critical milestones in their lives. The research-oriented diversity and health care revolves around the medical care available to minority women who are pregnant. Over the last several years, several significant changes have occurred in the field of obstetric nursing, which has altered the responsibilities and functions of OB nurses and the access to prenatal care for minors. This paper further clarifies the topic’s actual nature and impact by seeing it through the lens of psychology and applying pertinent psychological theory. That will provide a clearer picture of the difficulties and roadblocks that will arise when pursuing this career path.

Research-based Analysis of the Diversity-based Issue/Problem

access to medical care for minor, female patients who are pregnant is a multifaceted issue in the OB/GYN and L&D nursing realm. The maternity care field has been greatly impacted by recent healthcare regulations, social perspectives, and patient profiles, which has left healthcare practitioners with a number of benefits as well as drawbacks. The multi-layered nature of this diversity-related topic/problem is revealed by the thorough analysis of it. (Ashp, 2020). Certain barriers must be taken into account, including the patient’s age, financial situation, and the need to make judgments in cases involving minorsLaws pertaining to adolescents’ rights to confidentiality and parental approval for medical operations would, on the other hand, make service delivery even more challenging. This complexity emphasizes how important it is to establish guidelines that take into account the special situations that young, expectant patients present.

The magnitude of this issue cannot be overstated. Lack of fertility rights, prenatal care, reproductive health services, and educational resources may lead to increased maternal and fetal health complications. Patients with minor health problems might be afraid to see a doctor miss the window and then end up with adverse effects such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal complications (Gennaro et al., 2016). In addition to differences in healthcare access, minor pregnant women also have differences in healthcare outcomes and are exposed to systemic inequity.

On a social level, it is clear that inequitable access to basic healthcare for low-income pregnant women has far-reaching repercussions. Socioeconomic variables, systemic hurdles, and discriminatory behaviors all contribute to the establishment of healthcare inequalities, which create social inequities that impede progress toward health parity. Marginalized communities, such as racial/ethnic minorities, low-income groups, and undocumented immigrants, face the most severe disparities, not only in terms of healthcare access and results but also in terms of worsening pre-existing health discrepancies.

Subsequently, prenatal care in the early 1900s emphasized promoting health and wellness initiatives. However, recently, that has changed as prenatal care emphasizes minimizing risks. Over time, prenatal care has evolved from being primarily individualized to incorporating group prenatal care, which has proven to be highly effective in enhancing delivery outcomes. This shift in approach highlights the importance of adapting healthcare practices to optimize results for expectant mothers and their babies. At this vital time when women are frequently interacting with the health care system, it is critical for all women to focus on improving their health behaviors. Placing a stronger focus on mental health promotion could potentially play a significant role in mitigating the observed difference in birth outcomes that have been recorded among minority women (Gennaro et al., 2016). This is especially crucial as minority women tend to grapple with higher instances of stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which are known to have notable implications on pregnancy and birth results. Further, this historical milestone, specifically incorporating group prenatal care, has helped promote equity and diversity and foster inclusion in the pursuit of a more just society.

Research-based Solutions to the Diversity-based Issue/Problem

Multidisciplinary approaches are needed at both the micro and macroscopic levels to address the problem of pregnant minors not having equal access to medical care due to diversity concerns. Notably, through the application of empirical research, nurses may effectively promote and implement improvements in healthcare outcomes and access for this underserved population. (Kagia, 2023).

Specific (micro level) interventions that concentrate on the empowerment of teenagers and expectant mothers by way of easier healthcare services access should be the leading priority. One research-based program that can be implemented is holistic prenatal care specifically designed to take into account the peculiar needs of underage patients. These programs may for instance comprise specialized clinics having qualified staff on adolescent health and offering culturally sensitive care and education on reproductive health, pregnancy, and childbirth. These programs can be effective in removing some of the hindrances such as transport, financial constraints, as well as parental approval factors so that minors obtain timely and appropriate medical care throughout their pregnancy.

When it comes to the societal/systematic/institutional (macro) level, systemic changes are required which can help in the resolution of the major causes of healthcare disparities and enable health equity for minor, pregnant patients. Macro-level research-based solutions are reinforced by advocating for changes to policies that impede the under-age from accessing healthcare services such as parental consent and confidentiality laws, (Gregory & Willis, 2022). Through endorsing legislative initiatives that focus on teens’ reproductive health policies and norms, nurses can participate in constructing a community where equal access to care for minors is regarded as a right.

Besides, healthcare institutions can develop organizational policies and practices that help to narrow the gap in healthcare access and deliver good quality care to pregnant minors. This could be done by making cultural competence training mandatory for healthcare providers, developing protocols for handling adolescent patient needs, and integrating reproductive health services into existing healthcare delivery.

The solution to the problem of medical care accessibility for pregnant minors needs a comprehensive coordinated strategy that tackles the barriers to reproductive care. Utilizing nursing experts that incorporate scientific discoveries at the individual and societal levels, the healthcare system can effectively tackle health disparities and mitigate the health consequences of the most susceptible individuals (Haldar et al., 2022). Nurses can also assist in the health system’s equitable policy creation process by lobbying, educating, and advising relevant parties. Through these efforts, nurses can make healthcare accessible to everyone regardless of age, socioeconomic status, and other demographics.

Application of Theory to the Diversity-based Issue/Problem

In reviewing the diversity-based problem of a pregnant patient’s medical access issue in an Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OB/GYN) & Labor and Delivery (L&D) nursing department, the Social Cognitive Theory perspective serves as a helpful tool. According to the Social Cognitive Theory of Albert Bandura, mental processes in human behavior play a very important role, especially because of the role of learning by observing others and the importance of self-efficacy beliefs (Ashp, 2020). These concepts are important points because they are some facilitators and barriers to healthcare access for black, pregnant teenagers. For example, low levels of self-efficacy thoughts may dissuade minor patients from seeking medical care due to feelings of inadequacy or lack of control which can be addressed by positive role modeling and vicarious learning experiences that can lead to high levels of self-efficacy. Social Cognitive Theory can be on point specific to intervention whose focus will be on cognitive and behavioral factors that hinder the equal and reachable healthcare for minor patients

Reflection

This specific issue/problem covered in this paper is the issue of access to medical care for minor, female patients who are pregnant. It has expanded my career prospects while also making them more reliable. Through my internship, I found a more intricate appreciation and a deeper understanding of the problems and difficulties present in delivering care to the vulnerable population, especially minors who have disadvantages in accessing health care. This coupled with my advocacy for an urgent shift in the healthcare system towards implementing equitable practices within my future role as a nurse. Furthermore, this experience helped me to learn more about cultural awareness at the intersection of healthcare disparity impact and the need for social determinants of health improvement. Going forth, I strive to continue learning and partake in teamwork with my colleagues to strive and create a positive change and a fair society where no patient will be discriminated against by age, socioeconomic status, or other demographic factors.

References

Ashp. (2020). Ashp (R) Injectable Drug Information (Tm), 2021 Edition: a comprehensive guide to compatibility and stability. American Society Of Health.

Gennaro, S., Melnyk, B. M., OʼConnor, C., Gibeau, A. M., & Nadel, E. (2016). Improving Prenatal Care for Minority Women. MCN, the American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 41(3), 147–153. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmc.0000000000000227

Gregory, A., & Willis, P. A. (2022). Strategic Public Relations Leadership. ROUTLEDGE.

Haldar, S., Studd, H., Wong, N., Mohr, D. C., Reddy, M., & Miller, E. S. (2022). Collaboration Challenges and Technology Opportunities at the Intersection of Perinatal and Mental Health Journeys. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 6(CSCW2), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1145/3555614

Kagia, J. (2023). Improving Maternal Health in Kenya: Challenges and Strategies for Low Resource Nations. The Linacre Quarterly, 80(2), 161–166. https://doi.org/10.1179/

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How has access to medical care for minor, female patients who are pregnant changed in recent years and what is the impact on OB Nurses from performing their duties?

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Write a 4-6 page essay (not including title and references pages) in which you will apply, analyze, and synthesize psychological concepts to speculations/thoughts concerning your future career. In the essay, you will need to clearly identify your future career pathway, why you have chosen it, examine a diversity-based issue/problem within your career pathway, and then explain how what you have learned in psychology will enhance your understanding of your future career pathway.

How Access to Medical Care for Minor Female Patients Who are Pregnant Changed in Recent Years, and the Impact on OB Nurses from Performing Their Duties

1. Research and then choose a possible career pathway, including a specialty within the field. Be specific. Teaching is not specific enough. What grade/level? What subject? Teaching Pre-K-12 is very different than teaching higher education/college – as are the research-based career pathways and specific diversity-based issues/problems involved. Nursing is not specific enough. What specialty? Cardiac? Neonatal? Psychiatric? Hospice? There are specific research-based career paths and diversity-based issues/problems for each specialty.
2. Research and choose ONE specific diversity-based issue/problem within your chosen career pathway related/connected to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class, ability, national origin, or religion to examine. Focusing on ONE diversity-based issue/problem within your chosen career pathway will increase cultural awareness regarding your career pathway.
3. Review and then choose a psychological theory (and two concepts from the chosen theory) from the textbook that you understand well.
4. According to your chosen theory, apply the theory and the two concepts from the theory to explain the cause of your diversity-based issue/problem within their career pathway. For psychological theories, the focus is on the individual (micro level), so explain the human behaviors (according to the theory and two concepts from the chosen theory) that contributed to the career pathway-specific diversity-based issue/problem.
5. The historical milestone analysis of your chosen diversity-based issue/problem within your career pathway: Using the list of instructor-approved sites included in the assignment a). Identify and explain the history milestone and provide an explanation of how the historical milestone helped to decrease the negative impact of the diversity-based issue/problem OR increase the negative impact of the diversity-based issue/problem in your chosen career pathway. b). Explain how this historical milestone helped OR hindered all three aims of Psychology listed: To value diversity, promote equity, and foster inclusion in the pursuit of a more just society.
6. Use the TWO instructor-approved, empirical studies to identify and explain two research-based possible solutions: an individual (micro level) solution to the career pathway-specific diversity-based issue/problem, and a societal/structural/organizational (macro level) solution to the career pathway specific diversity-based issue/problem.