Research Proposal
West Coast University
Professor Weathers
Rebecca Johnson
Reem Awada
Kris Gavino
Parissa Ghassemian
Bianca Azcue
October 5, 2015
RESEARCH PROPOSAL Pregnancy is a unique experience within itself, but for some women, this is a time of confusion, fear, stress - which can ultimately lead to depression or worsen symptoms of preexisting depression. 14-23% of women will struggle with some symptoms of depression during pregnancy (ACOG. 2015). It is normal for individuals to experience a personal loss, have a decrease in self esteem, or become overwhelmed. But when those feelings of sadness overcomes your life to the point that it psychologically affects you, and you experience feelings of hopelessness, then that would …show more content…
But all too often, depression is improperly diagnosed during pregnancy due to the assumption of the mother experiencing a hormonal imbalance. Misdiagnosis of depression can lead to serious complications for the mother and infant. Depression in pregnancy is a serious complication development that it is advised for new mothers to be screened after every prenatal visit. With that being said, what percentage of nurses are actually evaluating for depressive symptoms at prenatal visits? The independent variable is the nurse and how he or she approaches the patient during prenatal visits, and if she evaluates him/her for depressive symptoms. The dependent variable would be the patient, seeking prenatal counseling. The purpose of this study is to validate that nurses are thoroughly assessing their patients, not only physically, but also …show more content…
This is done in order to decrease the risk of potential harm to the mother and the baby. We want to make sure that the screening done at every prenatal visit, since depression could happen at any given time during pregnancy. Depression that is not treated can have potential complications that puts the mother and baby. An individual that is clinically depressed may have feelings of intense sadness that could drive them into a binge eating which can put the mother at risk for obesity or imbalanced nutrition. Some individuals that are depressed tend to drink more than the daily recommended alcohol consumption, which could potentially damage the liver and kidneys. Other individuals who are depressed also find solace in smoking cigarettes or doing other recreational drugs to compensate for their psychological pain. Chronic smoking of cigarettes or inhalation of any irritants can damage the lungs and throat, and for pregnant women, they can be at risk for cardiac problems such as hypertension. But not all depressed individuals will experience these symptoms, some will experience them in two or more, while others may not commit these complications of depression. If their depression is left untreated, that individual may experience thoughts of suicide. These issues may also have a negative impact on the infant, because alcohol
West Coast University
Professor Weathers
Rebecca Johnson
Reem Awada
Kris Gavino
Parissa Ghassemian
Bianca Azcue
October 5, 2015
RESEARCH PROPOSAL Pregnancy is a unique experience within itself, but for some women, this is a time of confusion, fear, stress - which can ultimately lead to depression or worsen symptoms of preexisting depression. 14-23% of women will struggle with some symptoms of depression during pregnancy (ACOG. 2015). It is normal for individuals to experience a personal loss, have a decrease in self esteem, or become overwhelmed. But when those feelings of sadness overcomes your life to the point that it psychologically affects you, and you experience feelings of hopelessness, then that would …show more content…
But all too often, depression is improperly diagnosed during pregnancy due to the assumption of the mother experiencing a hormonal imbalance. Misdiagnosis of depression can lead to serious complications for the mother and infant. Depression in pregnancy is a serious complication development that it is advised for new mothers to be screened after every prenatal visit. With that being said, what percentage of nurses are actually evaluating for depressive symptoms at prenatal visits? The independent variable is the nurse and how he or she approaches the patient during prenatal visits, and if she evaluates him/her for depressive symptoms. The dependent variable would be the patient, seeking prenatal counseling. The purpose of this study is to validate that nurses are thoroughly assessing their patients, not only physically, but also …show more content…
This is done in order to decrease the risk of potential harm to the mother and the baby. We want to make sure that the screening done at every prenatal visit, since depression could happen at any given time during pregnancy. Depression that is not treated can have potential complications that puts the mother and baby. An individual that is clinically depressed may have feelings of intense sadness that could drive them into a binge eating which can put the mother at risk for obesity or imbalanced nutrition. Some individuals that are depressed tend to drink more than the daily recommended alcohol consumption, which could potentially damage the liver and kidneys. Other individuals who are depressed also find solace in smoking cigarettes or doing other recreational drugs to compensate for their psychological pain. Chronic smoking of cigarettes or inhalation of any irritants can damage the lungs and throat, and for pregnant women, they can be at risk for cardiac problems such as hypertension. But not all depressed individuals will experience these symptoms, some will experience them in two or more, while others may not commit these complications of depression. If their depression is left untreated, that individual may experience thoughts of suicide. These issues may also have a negative impact on the infant, because alcohol