J Nurs Acad Soc.  1976 Jun;6(1):51-59.

A Comparative Study of Reported Nursing Needs and Nursing Care During Labor and Delivery

• Ahn HS

Abstract

Contemporary nursing is concerned with meeting patients physcial, psychological and socio-economical needs and with helping persons to solve their own problems. At the time of confinement and delivery, women often have physical and psychological discomfort related to fear, tension or anxiety. Pain related to these causes varies with the individual woman. Effective nursing care to meet individual needs during labor and delivery is important if nurses are to understand and relieve woman's physical and psychological pain. A questionnaire prepared for the purpose by the investigator was administered to 162 women in two general hospitals, one in Seoul and one in TaeGu, during August 1 and September 20, 1975 and to the 13 delivery-room nurses who cared for them. It was hoped that the study would contribute to comprehensive nursing care during labor and delivery and to improve maternal and child health. 1. The sample of mothers ranged in age from 18 to 39;the majority were from 25 to 29 years old (54.3%). Most of them were housewives (87,6%). Sixty-three percent had high school or higher education. They had a range of one to seven deliveries. Sixty-one percent were primiparas. Most had had some prenatal care (87.6%). 2 . The age of the group of nurses ranged from 22 to 39. Ten were 22 or 23. Five of the 13 had from six to ten months experience in the delivery room. Twelve were single and ten had a religious affiliation. 3 . Both primiparas and multiparas thought equally that physical and psychological care, nursing skills and attitudes were important during labor and delivery, but did not relate basic nursing care directly to normal delivery. Need for nursing care was rated more highly by primiparas (2.83-3.48) than by multiparas (2.51-3.17) (p<0.05). 4 . There was no difference in need for nursing care according to the educational level of the women nor according to whether they had a religious affiliation or not (p>0. 05). 5 . There was no difference in the reported nursing care given regarding of the educational preparation of the nurses (p>0. 05). 6 . When the reported nursing needs of the women and the reported nursing care given were compared, physical and psychological nursing care directed toward protecting the mother and fetus and a safe delivery were considered important by both groups. Neither group related simple nursing care directly to protection of the mother and fetus or to a safe delivery.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anxiety
Child
Child Health
Daegu
Delivery Rooms
Education
Female
Fetus
Hope
Hospitals, General
Humans
Mothers
Nursing Care*
Nursing*
Prenatal Care
Surveys and Questionnaires
Research Personnel
Seoul