Thesis
Knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students toward perinatal drug and alcohol abuse
Washington State University
Master of Nursing (MN), Washington State University
2009
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100434
Abstract
The societal problem of perinatal drug and alcohol abuse continues to exist at troubling rates in the United States, at all socioeconomic levels. There continues to be significant morbidity and mortality for mothers and their babies caused by alcohol and drugs abused during pregnancy. Baccalaureate nursing students are in a position to make significant contributions to the awareness, identification, and caring treatment of pregnant women with substance-abuse issues. However, a lack of knowledge about addiction and a moralistic and punitive belief system about perinatal addiction in particular may prevent students from caring for these women in a professional and ethical manner. Evidence suggests that professional education can influence the development of constructive attitudes and actions reflective of current knowledge about substance-abuse problems in pregnant women. However, there is a paucity of curriculum content regarding substance abuse in contemporary nursing programs. The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge and attitudes of senior nursing students regarding perinatal substance abuse through a questionnaire, followed by a lecture titled "The Lived Experience of the Pregnant Addict." Two weeks later, the influence that this educational intervention had on the students was evaluated with a repeat survey. The pre- and posttests allowed for an analysis of the students' potential change in knowledge of and resultant attitudes toward women who abuse drugs while pregnant due to an educational intervention based on the theory of narrative pedagogy.
Metrics
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Details
- Title
- Knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students toward perinatal drug and alcohol abuse
- Creators
- Kimberly M. Ligon
- Contributors
- Merry Armstrong (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Nursing, College of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Nursing (MN), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525097801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis