Teen pregnancy is a well recognized problem and community health nurses (CHN) are in a great position to apply measures to reduce its occurrence and lessen the impact pregnancy has on a teen and her baby when it happens. Using an upstream perspective, the community health nurse should critically assess factors contributing to a teen’s pregnancy and gather information about the teen’s perception on that topic, their satisfaction with sex education, barriers to obtain contraceptives, and availability, accessibility and affordability of resources. To gather this information, the community nurse can send surveys to middle and high school students; this may be done online, in school or by mail. Based on this assessment and a review of literature,
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Peer pressure; bad or good; is strong motivation and it often guides the choices a teen makes. The CHN with collaboration with the school nurse can organize network which promote abstinence and responsible sexual behavior within the teen’s community or school. Another primary intervention would be providing teens with comprehensive education about healthy relationships, sex, and contraceptives; teachers involved in health education classes should be open-minded, teen-friendly, nonjudgmental, and well educated in regards to development, psychology, sexuality of adolescents, and contraceptives. The CHN could open a blog, where teens can ask questions, receive answers and remain anonymous. In addition, pamphlets with information about teen friendly clinics, in and outside of the neighborhood (to increase confidentiality), should be available to adolescents. The CHN should ensure that these clinics are open during after school hours and weekends. These primary interventions, such as organizing a stronger community, changing the norms of teen pregnancy among youth, educating teens about sex related issues and contraceptives, as well ensuring accessibility, affordability, and …show more content…
Currently, home pregnancy tests are easily accessible in stores, however; teens should be educated that as soon as possible, they need professional assistance despite the anticipated outcome of pregnancy. The CHN should guide pregnant teens to health clinics where, when their pregnancy is confirmed, they can talk about their options and make best, autonomous decisions. If they opt for abortion, the sooner its done, the safer; and whether they decide to have the baby and keep it, or give it up for adoption; they should seek prenatal care. Teens, especially from minority groups, often seek prenatal care late or do not receive it at all; in 2014, approximately 25% of girls younger than 15 had no proper care during pregnancy (Child Trends, 2015). Therefore, it is imperative for the CHN to educate the teen and her guardians about the importance of prenatal care, and to ensure accessibility to these services. To ensure the best outcome for a teen and her baby, the CHN should encourage participation in prenatal
Peer pressure; bad or good; is strong motivation and it often guides the choices a teen makes. The CHN with collaboration with the school nurse can organize network which promote abstinence and responsible sexual behavior within the teen’s community or school. Another primary intervention would be providing teens with comprehensive education about healthy relationships, sex, and contraceptives; teachers involved in health education classes should be open-minded, teen-friendly, nonjudgmental, and well educated in regards to development, psychology, sexuality of adolescents, and contraceptives. The CHN could open a blog, where teens can ask questions, receive answers and remain anonymous. In addition, pamphlets with information about teen friendly clinics, in and outside of the neighborhood (to increase confidentiality), should be available to adolescents. The CHN should ensure that these clinics are open during after school hours and weekends. These primary interventions, such as organizing a stronger community, changing the norms of teen pregnancy among youth, educating teens about sex related issues and contraceptives, as well ensuring accessibility, affordability, and …show more content…
Currently, home pregnancy tests are easily accessible in stores, however; teens should be educated that as soon as possible, they need professional assistance despite the anticipated outcome of pregnancy. The CHN should guide pregnant teens to health clinics where, when their pregnancy is confirmed, they can talk about their options and make best, autonomous decisions. If they opt for abortion, the sooner its done, the safer; and whether they decide to have the baby and keep it, or give it up for adoption; they should seek prenatal care. Teens, especially from minority groups, often seek prenatal care late or do not receive it at all; in 2014, approximately 25% of girls younger than 15 had no proper care during pregnancy (Child Trends, 2015). Therefore, it is imperative for the CHN to educate the teen and her guardians about the importance of prenatal care, and to ensure accessibility to these services. To ensure the best outcome for a teen and her baby, the CHN should encourage participation in prenatal