Connecting With Adolescent Mothers: Perspectives of Hospital-Based Perinatal Nurses. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Quosdorf, Ashley; Peterson, Wendy E.; Rashotte, Judy; Davies, Barbara
• Is Part Of: Global qualitative nursing research. Volume 7(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: adolescent mothers -- adolescent-friendly care -- inpatient nursing care -- perinatal nursing -- intrapartum care -- postpartum care -- neonatal care -- interpretive description; Nursing -- Research -- Periodicals; Qualitative research -- Periodicals; Nursing Research; Qualitative Research; Nursing -- Research; Qualitative research; Periodicals; Periodicals; 610.73
• DOI: 10.1177/2333393619900891
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2333-3936

Abstract

Adolescent mothers are more likely to be dissatisfied with their perinatal nursing care than adult mothers. The purpose of this interpretive descriptive study was to explore adolescent-friendly care from the perspective of hospital-based perinatal nurses. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted with nurses with expertise caring for adolescent mothers. Open-ended questions were used to determine how they adapted their nursing practice when caring for adolescents, how they learned to provide adolescent-friendly care, and the facilitators and barriers to providing adolescent-friendly care. Nurses described two main goals: (a) delivering a positive experience and (b) ensuring mother and infant safety. They accomplished these goals by being nonjudgmental, forming a connection, and individualizing nursing care. The nurses described being mother-friendly, regardless of maternal age, and employing strategies to develop a nurse-adolescent mother therapeutic relationship. This research contributes to our understanding of how hospital-based perinatal nurses engage and support adolescent mothers.