Health Promotion in the Prenatal and Infant Population Discussion

For this Discussion, your instructor will assign you a case number.

Case 1Case 2Case 3 Cases

G.K. is a family nurse practitioner in the health department of a large city. She is responsible for following up with infants and children who have been referred to the health department. Most of her referrals come from the hospital upon discharge of an infant going home to a potentially high-risk environment.

G.K. follows up with each child to ensure he or she is in a safe environment and is growing and developing adequately. She provides education and support to the parents so they can anticipate and respond appropriately to the challenges of raising children.

M.T. is a nurse practitioner in a busy OBGYN clinic. Her clients include women from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. M.T. spends her time educating women about interventions for a healthy pregnancy.

She promotes the physical, mental, and spiritual health of her clients throughout the childbearing years. Although she primarily works with the pregnant woman, her ultimate goal is to assist each family to have a healthy pregnancy and birth outcome and lay the foundation for satisfactory parenting and family life.

A.V. is a nurse practitioner working with the public health department. Community assessments reveal that one rural community has a high rate of teenage pregnancy. A.V. conducts parenting classes at the local high school and aims to reach first-time expectant parents. Her goal is to provide parents with information about what to expect of a new baby and basic care for the infant.
She realizes that continuity with education may be an issue. Many of her previous classes began with high attendance at the beginning of her 12-week sessions. Over time, interest began to fade, and participation declined. She tries a different approach with the current series of lectures. She reduces the session to 6 weeks and changes the format to one hour of lecture combined with questions and answers, with the second hour consisting of interactive demonstration.

Questions for the case

Define and describe the following influences that can affect individual’s potential for growth:
• genetic factors
• prenatal and postnatal exposures
• nutritional factors
• environmental factors
• life style
• health care practices.

M.T. participates in community health fairs educating childbearing-age women about healthy lifestyles that can improve chances for a healthy pregnancy. Women should be made aware that certain preconception interventions may improve not only the outcomes of pregnancy but their overall health as well. Design a plan that fits the needs for the health fair that M.T. is participating. List the recommendations and the rationales.

What recommendations would you give to a group of expectant teenagers that are attending to your Health Promotion and Disease Prevention educational sessions regarding breastfeeding.
Include recommendation in how to increase the duration to this activity.

Once you received your case number; answer the specific question on the table above. Then, continue to discuss the 2 topics listed below for your case:

1. Describe the relationship between culture and growth and development. Assess whether all growth and development milestones should be applied to all children regardless of cultural background.
2. Design a teaching plan for parents regarding injury prevention during infancy. In your teaching plan you must include the home of an infant injury proof.