A healthcare program in practice: costs and projected outcomes
There are many programs within mental health nursing addressing a variety of issues experienced by patients. One such program is Mindful Moms Training (MMT), an intervention to reduce stress and depressive symptoms in pregnant women (Epel et al., 2019). As the program is relatively new, its costs are difficult to estimate. However, it can be argued that it will be highly cost-effective as it does not require extensive personnel training. Furthermore, it helps prevent depression and disorder-associated weight gain that can have adverse effects on the mother and the child and put an additional strain on the healthcare system.
The target population
The target population of the MMT is pregnant women with increased levels of stress and depressive symptoms. The program is aimed at pregnant women at risk of excessive gestational weight gain with pre-existent weight issues (Epel et al., 2019). According to Epel et al. (2019), stress and depression experienced during pregnancy can contribute to extreme weight gain and several obstetrical complications, including preterm birth and gestational diabetes. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure women do not experience stress and symptoms of depression during pregnancy.
The role of the nurse in the design of this healthcare program
Nurses play a significant role in the discussed program, both in design and implementation. Therefore, nurses can provide input for the design of the healthcare program based on their interactions with the patients and the observed effectiveness of its elements. For example, when delivering weekly didactic discussions and sessions, nurses might note that certain information has no effect on the patients’ stress levels or negatively impacts their mental health. Thus, they may advise on what information to amend or when it is better to introduce it. In addition, nurses can report on the effectiveness of the program’s format.
The role as an advocate for the target population for this healthcare program
Mental health nurses are the primary advocates for pregnant women with depression and stress. Within the MMT program, nurses play the role of educators, providing patients with information on mental health problems during pregnancy and how these issues affect their health. As mental health practitioners, nurses can advise on what mindfulness exercises to include in the program and assess which techniques have little effect on stress reduction and depression. The nurses can also evaluate if the group-sessions design is appropriate or should be changed.
The role of the nurse in healthcare program implementation
Nurses have a meaningful role in the implementation of the MMT program. Mental health nurses and certified nurse-midwives can lead the program’s series of interventions, instructing women on mindfulness practices. As the MMT program is new and is still being developed, the role of nurses in the implementation of the program informs their role in its design. Thus, nurses that lead the interventions and follow-up post-partum sessions can advise the design based on their observations during implementation.
The members of a healthcare team to implement the program
There are several members of a healthcare team that should be responsible for the implementation of the program. According to Epel et al. (2019), the interventions are led by two practitioners with degrees in nursing and additional training in mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness. The recommendation is to involve different team members in various stages of the interventions. Thus, mental health nurses, dieticians, and midwives should be involved during sessions on techniques for reducing stress and depression, mindful eating, and the effects of eating and depression on the fetus’s health, respectively. This approach would be more beneficial for the patients as these practitioners will be able to answer their questions in more detail.
Reference
Epel, E., Laraia, B., Coleman-Phox, K., Leung, C., Vieten, C., Mellin, L., Kristeller, J. L., Thomas, M., Stotland, N., Bush, N., Lustig, R. H., Dallman, M., Hecht, F. M., & Adler, N. (2019). Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on distress, weight gain, and glucose control for pregnant low-income women: A quasi-experimental trial using the ORBIT model.International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 26(5), 461–473. Web.