During the first year of life upon the condition of the normal process of growth, the primary reflexes are developed into the postural reflex system. Nevertheless, in the case of some deviations, there may be problems with the motor or cognitive abilities in the future.
The most common symptoms of the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR) are poor hand-eye coordination, problems with the motor apparatus, bad control of the balance, and bilateral integration. For newborns, the ATNR makes itself evident at the fact that they turn their head to one side.
Main Body
These problems become especially evident during the process of study when the differences between a child with certain deviations and his healthy peers are obvious. The process of studying is more complicated for those children because they have definite problems in reading and cognitive perception. It goes without saying that these children demand special attention.
The children with the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex disorder are more likely to have difficulties with writing. This difficulty is caused by their poor control of limbs. Sometimes it is difficult for them to write on the definite side of the page. In the majority of cases, there is a divergence between their writing skills and oral speech. For instance, a child has good communication skills, but it is difficult for him to express his thoughts in a written form.
The most striking instance of such a disorder may be observed when a child, in order to focus his attention on a definite object, turns all his body in this direction. This example illustrates the bilateral integration disorder. Due to the bad visual tracking, such a child is likely to have difficulties in the reading activity. In the process of reading such child as usual follows the lines with his finger. In case of his sudden interruption, he is likely to lose the necessary paragraph in the book.
These children have problems with balance control. Every studying activity demands a lot of time and effort from these children. Sometimes they are characterized by the lack of concentration caused by the problems of the eyes movements.
It is obvious that these children demand a special attitude. It is understood that in the complicated cases of the disorder, the special education program should be implemented and the child should be taught in the specialized educational establishment under the care of the professionals.
If the form of this disorder is not complicated and a child attends a comprehensive school, it is strictly forbidden to emphasize the attention on his illness. The teacher should take into consideration all the aspects of the disease, and in any case, not to admonish such a pupil because of the bad results in studying.
In both cases, the consultation of the specialist is required. It is of great importance to create a friendly environment for this child and not to focus the attention on his disorder.
Conclusion
Moreover, last time there exist a great number of medical centers, which propose different methods of treatment of this disorder. The major part of these methods is based on physical exercises. The correct choice of the proper method will reduce to a minimum the consequence of the disease. The role of the family is also very important for the creation of a friendly atmosphere.
Client Description and the problem being addressed
I am a worker at Bishop McGann-Mercy High School. My role is to work with clients, who are students, and ensure that they are comfortable at school. This task is quite challenging given that students come from various backgrounds. Currently, the student that I am working with is J.M. This client belongs to a family, and thus dealing with him concerns the family as well. The clients family is comprised of the father, Mr. M; the mother, Mrs. M; and three siblings. The mother to J.M. is suffering from the bipolar condition, a fact that troubles my client very much (Healy, 2008). However, this is not the only problem that is affecting my client as he is showing deficiencies in various aspects of life.
J.M was recently transferred from being home-schooled to attend a private school. Though J.M reveals that he is enjoying public school life, he at times finds himself struggling in the social and academic aspects. In this case, J.M has made very few friends but he is determined to improve the situation. J.M has also revealed that he has difficulties in certain subjects. He would also want to improve on this though he has very limited opportunities. J.M. also experiences some family problems in which the mother is sick and there is no harmony in the family. This aspect seems to trouble J.M too much. This situation will require a bio-psychosocial approach to address the challenges facing J.M (McLaren, 2002; McLaren,1998).
Goals mutually agreed on between the worker and the client, and tasks to be performed to reach these goals
After having received information regarding various issues affecting the client, it was important to look for a way to resolve the problems. I was supposed to work closely with J.M to develop attainable goals. The goals were threefold. These include improving the social life of J.M.; improve J.Ms relationship with his parents, especially the mother; and helping J.M. to improve his academic performances. All these goals could easily be attained with the corporation from the client.
It was important to address the social problem that J.M was experiencing. This was a grave issue that needed to be addressed. J.M had indicated that he was willing to work out this problem. He had promised to get more friends at school. To make more friends, I suggested that J.M should get involved in as many activities as possible both at school and out of it. This will enable him to get acquainted with as many people as possible. By relating to as many people as possible, J.M. will be able to make many friends. This is because he will be forced to interact with many people thereby widening his social network.
Since J.M. had the will to improve his social relationships, he will be able to participate in various activities that will enable him to achieve his social goal (McKenzie, 2008). Apart from participating in various activities with colleagues, it was also important for J.M to spend time with friends during the weekends. I asked him about this but he revealed to me that he hardly spends time with friends at the weekends. However, he promised to try and I hope that this will be beneficial to his social life. This is because spending time with friends improves the bond and enhances friendship (McInnis-Dittrich, 2005; McKenzie, 2008).
The other problem that is being experienced by J.M is the family relationship. In this respect, J.M. is experiencing some problems in his family which at first he was not willing to share with me. However, upon talking to his father, Mr. M., my client admitted that indeed his family had been experiencing some turmoil in the recent past. This had affected and weighed him down. After talking to his father, it was revealed that J.Ms mother was suffering from bipolar disease and she had been in and out of the hospital on several occasions. This had far-reaching impacts on the family (Healy, 2008).
This is because, Mr. M. revealed that the Child Protection Services had been involved and that, there is currently a founded report on Mr. M and his wife for having failed to do enough to protect the children. During this while, J.Ms mother was in the hospital, but she was not taking her medication. It is not known when J.Ms mother would be leaving the hospital. All these aspects had detrimental effects on J.M. Therefore, it was important to talk to J.M to help him cope with the situation (Roberts and Watkins, 2009).
Talking to J.M., it was found that he initially believed that his father was the cause of his mothers behaviors. However, now he understood that the mother was behaving in the manner that she did due to her health condition and failing to take medication. J.M. needed to understand the illness that was affecting the mother to know how to cope with the situation (Garcia and Mann, 2003). In addition, it was important to explain to J.M. about the job that was being carried out by the Child Protection Services. I explained that these people are working to ensure his and his siblings safety.
Since J.Ms mothers condition was central to him, it was important to make him understand everything and have no doubts whatsoever (McInnis-Dittrich, 2005). In this case, I explained to J.M. about the possibility that his mother might fail to be home on Thanksgiving Day. J.M seems to have been well prepared for this as he said that though he hoped that his mother would be home, he was not sure about it. I suggested that in case his mother failed to be at home during Thanksgiving, he could take some photos of the event at home and write a letter to his mother about the days.
During Thanksgiving Day, J.Ms mother was at home and the family had a good day. J.M explained that his mother was taking her medication seriously and was doing quite well. However, J.M. revealed that he was depressed some times at the thought that his mother would never be the same. I talked to him about the condition and how he could cope with the situation. I told him that he was not the only one in this situation and that many people have been able to pull through. What is important is for him to accept the situation and know how to deal with it (Stiffman and Feldman, 1988).
The third goal was to help J.M improve his academic performance. J.M had an interest in joining the Teens on the job and I explained to him that to achieve this, he would have to be good in his academic performance. J.M acknowledged that he understood this requirement. After discussing some of the difficulties that J.M was experiencing in certain subjects, I suggested that he should get some extra help to improve in these subjects. This was a challenge to him since there was no late bus to take him home and the idea of his parents picking him up was not an option. J.M explained that he could get some help in mathematics during lunch break or study time. After further deliberations on how J.M could get extra help, he said that he could get a tutor who would be coming home to coach him.
How the tasks are related to the clients problem
The first task was to work on improving the social life of J.M. For this to be achieved, J.M needed to participate in various activities either in school or while out of school. This would expose him to numerous people from which he would be able to develop acquaintances. Also, J.M needed to spend time with his friends during weekends. This would be critical in facilitating and strengthening the friendship between J.M and his friends. This can also serve to widen the social network in that J.M. may be able to meet new friends who would want to hang around with his group of friends. Friends will be useful in helping J.M improve his academic performance. This is because J.M can be able to interact and share with friends on various academic issues (Roberts and Watkins, 2009).
Concerning the family condition, it is important that J.M understands the condition of his mother and not blame anyone for what is happening. Understanding the condition from which the mother is suffering will help J.M know how to cope with it (Roberts and Watkins, 2009). This is because J.M seems not to have a clue regarding what the family is going through and this has weighed him down emotionally.
This has greatly affected J.M and that at times he gets depressed for what is happening (Stiffman and Feldman, 1988). It is, therefore, important that he understands and accepts the situation to get prepared to cope with it. J.M needs a lot of counseling on this aspect. Therefore, it is important to talk to him and hope that he understands the situation. This has proved to be successful as J.M seems to understand the situation after having talked about it with me. Psychological counseling is said to be useful in helping an individual cope with a stressful situation (Boyd &Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008).
To improve his academic performance, J.M must get extra time for studying. This has proved to be a great challenge though there is a will on the part of the client. J.M could be willing to get extra time for tuition in school, but the school does not have a late bus to take him home. In addition, he cannot rely on his parents taking him home as this option is out of the question. Since he is determined to improve his academic performance, J.M can squeeze some time during lunch break or study time. In addition, after talking to his father, J.M talks of the possibility of hiring a tutor to help him improve on his academic performances.
Task Achievement Scale
Task
Rating (on 4 point rating scale)
Participating in activities
3
Spending time with friends
2
Psychological counseling
4
Finding extra time for tuition at school
2
Hiring a tutor
3
Task Implementation Sequence
From the above task achievement rating, the tasks that are effective in solving the clients problems include psychological counseling, participating in activities both at school, while out of school, and hiring a tutor. The other two tasks including spending time with friends at weekends and finding extra time for study while at school are not effective. This is because of the challenges that are likely to be experienced. Psychological counseling is the most effective due to its positive and instantaneous results that it will have on J.M (Boyd &Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008). Participating in activities both at school and outside the school is also effective in helping J.M build social relationships. Also, by hiring a tutor, J.M will be able to improve on his academic performance in the subjects that he needs improvement.
Steps
Enhance the clients commitment to carry tasks
To ensure that J.M is committed to achieving the stated goals, it is important to ensure that all the stipulated aspects are strictly followed. In this case, I ensured that assistance was readily available to J.M whenever he needed it. To facilitate this assertion, I ensured that the supervisor was able to cover up for me if I was not available or held up somewhere. I also ensured that there was effective communication between me and J.M to create a comfortable working environment.
Planning the details of carrying out tasks
To carry out the tasks outlined above requires a clear plan. Therefore, I am required to sit down with J.M and talk about how the tasks are going to be achieved. We must agree on how we are going to accomplish the tasks at the right time.
Analyzing and resolving obstacles
Accomplishing the tasks can be challenging at times. For instance, for J.M to understand the role played by the Child Protection Service was not easy. This is because he believed that it was the parents who had the responsibility of taking care of their children. Nonetheless, J.M did not have a clear understanding of what was happening in his family. There is a time when he blamed the father for the abrupt change of behavior of the mother.
J.Ms family seems to have been broken down given that both parents have been accused of not doing enough to protect their children. I will advise that J.Ms family be referred to a family therapist who would guide them on how to live in harmony (Rasheed, Marley, and Rasheed, 2010). Another challenge is that J.Ms mother refuses to take medication which complicates the situation further. I will involve the community health workers to make a follow-up and ensure that she adheres to the doctors prescription.
Despite these challenges, I will sit J.M. down and talk to him about the situation. I will urge him to adopt a brave face and be able to cope with the situation. I will ensure that I spend quality time with J.M to help him overcome his problems. In this case, I will ensure that at no one time will J.M be left alone to deal with his troubles. I will ensure that everything that he needs is availed to him without many tussles.
Summary of the Plan
Ensuring that J.M participates in activities both at school and outside the school to improve his social life.
Conduct intensive psychological counseling to help J.M cope with the situation at home.
Encourage J.M to push for tutorials at home to improve on his academic performances.
References
Boyd, M.& Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2008). Psychiatric nursing: Contemporary practice. Philadelphia, Pa: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Garcia, K., and Mann, T. (2003). From I wish to I will: Social-cognitive predictors of behavioral intentions. Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 347-360.
Healy, D. (2008). Mania: A short history of bipolar disorder. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
McKenzie, F. R. (2008). Theory and practice with adolescents: An applied approach. Chicago: Lyceum Books.
McLaren, N. (1998). A critical review of the bio-psychosocial model . The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 32 (1): 8692.
McLaren, N. (2002) The myth of the bio-psychosocial model . Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 36 (5), 701703.
McInnis-Dittrich, K. (2005). Social work with elders: A bio-psychosocial approach to assessment and intervention. Boston: Pearson.
Rasheed, J.M., Marley, J.A and Rasheed, M.N., (2010). Family Therapy: Models and techniques. ThousandOaks, California: Sage publications Inc.
Roberts, A. R. and Watkins, J. M. (2009). Social workers desk reference. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Stiffman, A. R. and Feldman, R. A. (1988). Depression and suicide. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Many say that death is only a new beginning. Others are afraid of the end of life. However, everyone understands that death is inevitable, so the best people can do is to make their last days (or last days of their loved) full of love and care. Hospices address this need and assist people to cross the bridge with dignity.
Karen Modell points out that such hospices as Vitas Hospice create the space to comfort people and make them prepared to the ending cornerstone of their lives. Modell states that they are not trying to judge or choose the better way to spend the last days, they rather try to do everything they can to make people happier. Apart from this, Modell also mentioned the major points which social workers should take into account when working with their patients in hospices.
She claimed that ability to listen properly is one of the essential tools for social workers since patients who are preparing to their last journey often (if not always) need to reflect on their lives and tell their saga . Notably, Sutton Holder and Aldredge-Clanton (2004) also emphasize the importance of proper listening stating that dying persons need listening ears (10). These people do not need sharing opinions or listening too advices they want to analyze their own experiences and to make sure they have an attentive listener.
Apart from this Modell articulated the importance of following the necessary rituals since spiritual component of peoples lives plays essential role when it deals with death. Modell noted that if rituals were not followed through regrets could appear later. Sutton Holder and Aldredge-Clanton (2004) also stress that it is crucial to follow the necessary rituals since during these rituals a dying person can feel relief. Of course, it is essential to know what exactly a patient may need, i.e. to take into account this individuals cultural background. Notably, Sutton Holder and Aldredge-Clanton (2004) and Karen Modell provide a lot of helpful information for social workers or people who have to care about a person who is dying.
It goes without saying that when death is just a topic for philosophical discussion it is quite difficult to create some theories and make assumptions. However, everything changes when the death comes closer. As far as I am concerned, I never thought this period and care could be as difficult but at the same time as important for me. I had an experience of hospice with a loved person. I should say this is a very helpful service. I know that we got everything we might need. I also understand that people who face the necessity to accept terrible truth obtain the necessary assistance in hospices and they get prepared to the journey .
When listening to Modell and when reading the work of Sutton Holder and Aldredge-Clanton (2004) I recollected those moments I experienced when spending last days with a dearest person. I saw that many people witness the same, and it is possible to comfort dying people. Now I think I have a more complete picture of how to help people to cross the bridge. My person experience and experience revealed in Modells speech or the book by Sutton Holder and Aldredge-Clanton (2004) are valuable sources of knowledge for me, as a social worker since I know how to make dying people feel care in their last days. Admittedly, every person needs a unique approach, but the background information I gained will show me possible ways to move while helping people to cross the bridge.
Reference List
Sutton Holder, J., & Aldredge-Clanton, J. (2004). Parting: A Handbook for Spiritual Care Near the End of Life. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.
Disparities in the United States health care system emanate from a complex mixture of institutional inequality and problems linked to historical issues. The various segments of health variations include socioeconomic wellbeing, region, race, and ethnicity among others. Therefore, it is fundamental for policymakers to understand the issue in the proper context and focus on establishing solutions that emphasize health security for all Americans regardless of socioeconomic status.
Besides, the United States efforts to alleviate differences should be incorporated into the plan to reform health care by promoting the quality of care provided to the individual patient. The purpose of this paper is to explore the overuse of psychotropic medications among children. This paper suggests that prescribers of psychotropic drugs use socioeconomic status to overprescribe medications to a certain group of individuals. To address the prescription issues to eliminate prescription targeting certain individuals, the US Congress developed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 (Cutler, 2015).
Problem statement
In most cases, children who are overprescribed with psychotropic medications happen to live under foster care or in poverty-stricken backgrounds. Many of these children have encountered neglect and abuse, but this aspect does not warrant the over-prescription of such drugs. Research indicates that this trend has been motivated by unscrupulous practices by pharmaceutical companies to make profits (Huefner & Griffith, 2014).
Statistics indicate that many children joining foster care are likely to come from poor families. Low socioeconomic status is often linked to poor access to quality health care and the lack of healthcare education. These disparities have led to unequal healthcare opportunities, thus, exposing the less privileged children to malicious medical practices. Furthermore, poor families are most likely to be insured. In 2010, the US Congress sought to address this issue, and it passed the ACA (Cutler, 2015). Essentially, this Act was developed to reinforce the Minority Health and Health Disparities of Research and Education Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-525) in eliminating biased medical practices.
Rationale
Following the increased rate of psychotropic prescription among children from poor backgrounds, health policies have become a vital tool to ensure proper practices. The significance of the ACA is to eliminate disparities in various ways. For instance, ACA seeks to increase insurance coverage to as many Americans as possible. Insurance cover and quality care in the US focus mostly on minority patients. Significant gaps in health care among children in the US are associated with socioeconomic status and the lack of medical covers (Koh, Graham, & Glied, 2011). In most cases, prescribers manifest ingrained interests when prescribing psychotropic medications.
Children from poor families are overprescribed intentionally to ensure more sales of psychotropic medications. Equality has remained a key factor in the medical field for many decades. Since social status aspects cannot be used to exploit certain individuals, policymakers must lay guidelines to promote public health measures that target to bridge the disparities in care
Positions and Recommendations
To eliminate disparities in the contemporary healthcare provision in the US, four aspects need to be considered when planning to improve service delivery. First, patients must be prioritized when seeking to improve health care. More attention should be aimed at alleviating the drivers of biased medical practices such as poverty, the lack of education, and social status. The policy framework should be designed to benefit all patients.
There should not be any form of discrimination. Besides, quality care should be availed equally regardless of socioeconomic or racial status. Education programs should be developed to create awareness for patients. Patients should possess some knowledge regarding the kind of prescription they get and have the expertise to probe for any information they deem necessary (Woolf & Braveman, 2011).
Second, professionals should deliver care services within the set legal and ethical framework. Professionals should ensure high-quality prescription to all patients. However, the patients should abide by the given recommendations. Continued training is essential for providers to ensure that they are aware of the evolving medical practices (Barr, 2008). Professionals dealing with children at care facilities should be aware of the potential abuse of psychotropic medications in this patient population. Therefore, it is necessary for these professionals to rely on evidence-based approaches in acquiring enough data for a prescription.
Third, the payer must ensure the financial sustainability of the care system. The designed policy framework relies on the payer to operationalize effectively. Financial experts caution against poor funding on healthcare facilities since it could derail the plan to help patients get quality services (Andrulis & Siddiqui, 2011). The payer should provide sufficient funding to facilitate evidence-based practices before exposing children to psychiatric medications.
Furthermore, the payer should invest in research to identify if there is any relationship between poverty and psychiatric conditions. Social environment and economic status should not be used as indicators for a psychiatric condition. Lastly, the policymakers should set the platform upon which the professionals in the healthcare sector and patients interact. Professionals and payers should be controlled by these policies. Further research to understand disparities in health care, and particularly over-prescription of psychotropic drugs, is needed.
References
Andrulis, D., & Siddiqui, N. (2011). Health reform holds both risks and rewards for safety-net providers and racially and ethnically diverse patients. Health Affairs, 30(10), 1830-1836.
Barr, D. (2008). Health disparities in the United States. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Cutler, D. (2015). From the Affordable Care Act to Affordable Care. JAMA, 314(4), 337-338.
Huefner, J., & Griffith, A. (2014). Psychotropic medication use with troubled children and youth. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(4), 613-616.
Koh, H., Graham, G., & Glied, S. (2011). Reducing racial and ethnic disparities: the action plan from the department of health and human services. Health Affairs, 30(10), 1822-1829.
Woolf, S., & Braveman, P. (2011). Where health disparities begin: the role of social and economic determinants- and why current policies may make matters worse. Health Affairs, 30(10), 1852-1859.
The paper critiques the research article by Tussey et al. (2015) that is devoted to the use of a peanut ball to reduce the number of cases of prolonged labor. The paper analyzes and evaluates different sections of the research article, giving special consideration to the introduction, the review of literature, the description of the methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. The article discussed in the paper presents a good example of quantitative research as the process of data collection and analysis is described in an accurate manner.
The work demonstrates scientific novelty because it fills the research gap related to the effectiveness of peanut balls in obstetric patients who use epidural anesthesia. Having analyzed the results of the experiment, the researchers conclude that the use of peanut balls can have a positive impact on the length of labor and reduce C-section rates. Despite that, the researchers acknowledge the presence of study limitations.
Introduction/Literature Review
The study under consideration is the article that was written by Tussey et al. (2015). The research problem introduced by the researchers is a threat of prolonged labor and the necessity of cesarean surgery. The research problem is clearly stated in the introduction section because the researchers reflect on the topic of risks that the use of the C-section involves. The necessity to reduce the average length of labor and minimize C-section rates is extremely important to nursing as it would help to mitigate the risk of infections and complications. The study is justified by the presence of negative health outcomes for women with prolonged labor. The research aims at studying whether the use of a peanut ball for exercises helps to reduce the average length of delivery.
When it comes to the use of theoretical or conceptual frameworks implied in the study, the researchers rely on the findings concerning the safety of labor epidurals, the complications associated with the use of a C-section, and the use of a peanut ball to induce labor. The framework helps the researchers to set expected results based on the previous findings. The research articles and other sources that the authors have used to conduct a literature review are different in terms of the currency of information. In general, the researchers use sources that appeared in different decades, and it could be attributed to the lack of relevant and current studies.
Nevertheless, sources that are not older than five years are also presented. Considering the publication date of the article, there are a lot of current sources used by the researchers. The literature review that the researchers have conducted is very good in terms of its logical organization as the section under consideration is structured around the key themes such as the knowledge concerning prolonged labor, various birth interventions, and a range of risks associated with the latter. As is clear from the literature review, it supports the need for the study because it introduces the audience to the complication related to prolonged labor and the use of epidural analgesia.
Methods
As for the study design, the article under consideration reports the results of a quantitative study, measuring the effects of the nurse-driven intervention aimed at reducing the average length of labor. In all likelihood, the design fits the purpose of the study; as is clear from the purpose identified by the researchers, the study is to define the effectiveness of an intervention that includes the use of a peanut ball to facilitate labor. The chosen study design allows the researchers to analyze the average length of labor in groups that use or do not use intervention in order to define the degree to which the use of this tool can be effective.
A little is known about the effectiveness of a peanut ball for parturient women with epidural analgesia, even though this tool is commonly used by nurses. The researchers were using a random sampling method to eliminate the impact of any unobvious factors when dividing the participants into two groups. To analyze the data collected during the research, the authors were using SPSS 17.0. Both sampling method and statistical analysis play an important part in the study design, helping to provide the best possible results.
As for the principles that were used to choose the participants, the researchers were recruiting only those women who were using epidural analgesia and had the fetus in the head-first presentation. As for demographic characteristics, the researchers were ready to include underage obstetric patients (their parents consent was required).
The sample used by the researchers included almost two hundred participants who met the mentioned requirements. The sampling procedure is discussed in detail, and the sample is accurately and clearly described in the article. Prior to including participants in the sample, the researchers had conducted a series of short interviews to consider their medical histories, collect demographic data, and exclude the presence of fetus pathology that could impact the results and require special medical supervision. As it follows from the subsequent sections of the article, the researchers acknowledge that the sample size should be larger to provide more reliable results. Nevertheless, the authors suppose that even a sample that includes two hundred people can help to define whether the intervention is effective.
Regarding the study protocol, it is clear and concise, as it follows from the description provided by the researchers. The members of an intervention group were provided with peanut balls to be used during the delivery. All participants were using epidural anesthesia. The members of an intervention group had to place a peanut ball between their legs. The given tool was removed when the cervical dilatation occurred.
The safety and comfort of obstetric patients were the main focus of the intervention, and the researchers were using a range of measures to eliminate the risk of infections. According to the protocol, registered nurses were supposed to provide standard care to both groups of participants. Finally, the researchers and nurses had to take all necessary measurements. For instance, the factors to be taken into account included the presence of cord entanglement, the health of newborn children, their physiological characteristics, etc. The instruments that are described in the article include the use of the Apgar score, helping nurses to evaluate the physical condition of newborn children. Also, the instruments used during the research included the tools helping to measure the weight and height of newborn babies.
All instruments help to measure certain concepts in an effective manner. The researchers do not discuss the reliability of the instruments, but it is confirmed by other studies in the field. The threats to external and internal validity that the study design involves are addressed.
For instance, to mitigate these threats and provide more credible results, the authors provide a standardized research protocol. Also, the researchers mitigate threats to validity, using instruments whose reliability has been proved. The researchers discuss the measures aimed at ensuring the safety of participants, but the data concerning personal information protection is not presented. Potential ethical concerns are not discussed as well. The research process is described in a detailed way, which facilitates the replication of the study.
Results
The characteristics of the sample and the results of statistical analysis are presented with the help of tables. The answer to the research question is presented in a few paragraphs. The data used for the analysis is quantitative; it includes the demographic composition of the sample, the lengths of labor, the presence of complications, and the Apgar score results. Among data analysis procedures helping to answer the research question, there are t-tests, Fishers tests of significance, and logistic regression.
These procedures have helped to exclude the impact of additional variables on the results. The combination of these analysis procedures has helped to define whether the use of a peanut ball is a predictor of successful delivery. The text supplements the data in the tables, helping the audience to better understand the results. The findings indicate that the use of a peanut ball helps to shorten the first and the second stages of labor, and this is why this practice is highly recommended.
Discussion/Practical Implications
The relation between the findings and the studys purpose is clear. There is a research gap concerning the effectiveness of a peanut ball for obstetric patients using epidural anesthesia, but previous studies in the field report the effectiveness of this tool for other categories of patients. Therefore, the findings partially support those from previous studies on the topic. The discussion concerning the conflicts between the findings of different studies is not presented.
Regarding the limitations of the study that may have an impact on the use of intervention and further research, the authors acknowledge that the level of professional experience of nurses could have an impact on the results. Also, some differences between the study groups were not controlled thoroughly. As for new research that the authors are willing to conduct, it includes studying the effectiveness of the intervention with the help of a larger sample. Based on the results, nurses can encourage obstetric patients to use a peanut ball. The latter helps to reduce labor lengths, whereas no complications are associated with its use.
Presentation and Summary
The title describes the study in an appropriate manner. As for the abstract, it provides the most significant facts about the study even though the presence of limitations is not discussed. The report is logically consistent because each stage of the research process is described in detail and explained. Also, each section of the report relates to other sections. The writing style that the researchers utilize is clear, all concepts that the researchers use are explained, and the definitions of key notions are provided to remove the possibilities of misinterpretation.
Reference
Tussey, C. M., Botsios, E., Gerkin, R. D., Kelly, L. A., Gamez, J., & Mensik, J. (2015). Reducing length of labor and cesarean surgery rate using a peanut ball for women laboring with an epidural. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 24(1), 16-24.
At present, various policy-makers and medical workers take several steps in order to minimize the unauthorized access and use of morphine. Moreover, they try to prevent people from becoming addicted to this drug. For example, healthcare professionals attempt to raise peoples awareness about the risks of abusing substances containing morphine. Secondly, much attention is paid to the regulations governing the storage, transportation, and consumption of this drug. These are the main precautions that are currently taken by the state.
Overall, morphine is widely used for medical purposes; in particular, it is used to treat chronic pain. In many cases, this drug can be applied to help patients suffering from cancer. Additionally, morphine is prescribed to patients with pulmonary edema (Field 126). Therefore, there are legal uses of this substance, and it is widely produced today.
Among the short-term psychological effects of morphine, one can distinguish the feeling of euphoria and decreased sense of anxiety or panic. In contrast, the long-term impacts of morphine are cognitive impairment, especially the deterioration of memory. Moreover, people who are addicted to morphine can develop such disorders as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. In turn, the physiological effects can be divided into two groups. In the short-term, this drug can cause constipation, drowsiness, nausea, and impairments of breathing (Berger 173; Hawthorne 110). The long-term effects of this drug include addiction and hormone imbalances. So, morphine can profoundly undermine the health of an individual. These are some of the main risks that should be taken into account.
One should bear in mind that morphine has a very strong potential for addiction. This is one of the reasons why the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) pays close attention to it. Currently, this drug is included by FDA in Schedule II. This schedule incorporates substances that can lead to severe psychological and physical addiction. Moreover, it includes drugs that are often used for medical purposes. To a great extent, morphine has the characteristics which are necessary for inclusion into this list.
Among the main users of morphine, one can distinguish people who need to alleviate pain (Spanagel 49). As it has been said before, this drug is often required by cancer patients. These individuals do not abuse this drug. Yet, there are many people who misuse morphine and eventually become addicted to it. They can represent different social, ethnic, or racial groups. Morphine can often be called morphia or morpho. Furthermore, there are many substances containing morphine. They are known under such names as speedball, Blue Morphine, and many others. These slang names indicate that morphine is widely used for illegal purposes.
There are different treatment strategies that can help patients suffering from addiction to morphine. For example, one can speak about opioid replacement therapy involving the use of methadone. Additionally, such patients often require the psychological assistance of counselors. This is why they can join twelve-step programs that can help them overcome dependence on this drug and avoid the risks of relapse.
Overall, I can say that morphine poses a significant threat to the health of many people in the United States. More importantly, patients who are addicted to this drug run the risk of relapse, even after detoxification (Spanagel 49). This is why the use of morphine should be regulated with the help of legal norms. These are the main arguments that can be put forward.
Diazepam
Diazepam, which is also known as valium, can be widely used and abused in the United States and many other countries. In order to minimize the abuse of this substance, medical workers usually restrict access to this drug. Moreover, they inform patients about the possible impacts of diazepam abuse and the pitfalls that should be avoided. This drug is often applied for medical purposes. For instance, it can significantly benefit patients suffering from insomnia and anxiety. Moreover, this drug is necessary for the treatment of status epilepticus, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke. Furthermore, this drug is of great value to people who try to overcome their dependence on alcohol (Rosenberg 491). These are the major applications of diazepam.
Among the short-term psychological effects of the drug, one can distinguish the feeling of euphoria; however, after a short while, this drug results in anxiety and irritation. Thus, the behavior of a person can change profoundly. In the long-term, diazepam can contribute to a persons depression. Finally, it is necessary to consider the psychological dependence on this drug because this addiction can significantly impair the health of an individual. This is one of the details that should not be disregarded.
There are some physiological effects produced by diazepam in the short term. For example, one can speak about increased heart rate and fever (Fish 46). Moreover, in the long-term, the organism can become tolerant to this substance. Additionally, in some cases, diazepam can cause insomnia. Apart from that, abuse of diazepam can make a person more irritant. These are the main impacts of this drug.
One can say that this drug can lead only to psychological addiction. Currently, this drug is included in the Schedule Four of FDA (Kost 111). The substances included in this section can be addictive; nevertheless, their aftereffects are not as severe as the impacts of opioids. Moreover, diazepam is included in the list of controlled substances. Therefore, one cannot easily access it. These are the main details that can be distinguished.
There are many people who consume this drug. As has been noted before, diazepam can help patients suffering from alcoholism, insomnia, anxiety, and so forth. These people do not abuse this drug. In turn, there are many individuals who take diazepam for non-medical purposes. Much attention should be paid to the needs of people who try to use it as a substitute for alcohol (Pagliaro 180). Additionally, people who suffer from depression can also become addicted to this drug. These are the main at risk-groups that can be identified, and this information should guide the work of medical workers.
Among the slang names of diazepam, one can single out tranqs, forget pills, or Beez. Thus, one can argue that this substance becomes more widespread. The treatment of diazepam includes predominantly psychological therapy. Yet, alternative medications are not offered to a patient because they can only impair the physical state of this individual.
In my view, the risks related to diazepam should not be overlooked by healthcare professionals and regulators because long-term addiction to diazepam can result in significant complications such as depressions and sleep impairments. Therefore, its use should be regulated by the state. These are the main points that can be made.
Works Cited
Berger, Ann. Principles and Practice of Palliative Care and Supportive Oncology, New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007. Print.
Field, John. The Textbook of Emergency Cardiovascular Care and CPR, New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009. Print.
Fish, Richard. Anesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals, Boston: Academic Press, 2011. Print.
Hawthorne, Fran. Inside the FDA: The Business and Politics Behind the Drugs We Take and the Food We Eat, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
Kost, Michael. Moderate Sedation/analgesia: Core Competencies for Practice, Boston: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2004. Print.
Pagliaro, Louis. Psychologists Psychotropic Drug Reference, New York: Psychology Press, 1999. Print.
Rosenberg, David. Pocket Guide For The Textbook Of Pharmacotherapy For Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders, New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Spanagel, Rainer. Drugs for Relapse Prevention of Alcoholism, New York: Springer, 2006. Print.
The paper is devoted to the analysis of anaphylaxis a life-threatening allergic reaction characterized by several symptoms, such as swelling or nausea, and physical manifestations including bronchospasms, vasodilation, and hypotension. The main chemical mediators of an anaphylactic reaction are IgE, histamine, and tryptase, and the presence of these chemical agents in blood serves as the major indicators of anaphylaxis. It is important to commence treatment of symptoms without delay because severe health problems, i.e. cardiovascular collapse or respiratory failure, may develop within minutes.
Anaphylaxis is an acute allergic life-threatening systematic reaction of hypersensitivity. It occurs as a result of immune processes mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) which provokes a release of histamine, heparin, tryptase, chymase, etc. from activated mast cells and basophils (Mustafa & Kaliner, 2016). Activation of histamine through H1-H4 receptors leads to vasoconstriction and heart failure (H1-receptors), tachycardia (H2-receptors), chemotaxis, and release of multiple inflammatory mediators (H4-receptors) (Galli & Tsai, 2012).
Heparin contributes to the activation of bradykinin, fibrinolysis, and complement system processes while platelet-activating factor reduces coronary flow and myocardial contractility, increases activation of neutrophils, and eosinophils cause local and systemic platelet aggregation, as well as peripheral vasodilation and hypotension (Galli & Tsai, 2012). Physiological changes induced by anaphylactic reaction provoke compensatory mechanisms including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, increased norepinephrine secretion from the local sympathetic nerve endings, and it can cause heart arrhythmias and other conditions of the cardiovascular system (Galli & Tsai, 2012).
The explicit symptoms of acute anaphylaxis are swelling and redness on the part of the body exposed to Hymenoptera venom (due to a bee sting), a sharp decrease in blood pressure, larynx swelling, and bronchial spasms which result in severe respiratory distress (Stritzke & Eng, 2013). The patient with an anaphylactic reaction looks pale and may lose consciousness (Takase & Kosut, 2013). Other symptoms include abdomen pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
The diagnostics should start with the assessment of the overall patients condition, evaluation of symptoms, and anamnesis. The key factors defining the diagnosis of anaphylaxis are sudden onset of symptoms, multisystem symptoms, and their rapid progression (Barnett, Kort, & Campasano, 2003).
Due to the involvement of different organs and systems in the pathological process, no laboratory parameter would provide complete accuracy and sensitivity in the identification of anaphylaxis. However, within the first hours of anaphylactic reactions progression, the levels of histamine and tryptase in the patients blood increase. Tryptase level reaches its peak in 60-90 minutes after the onset of anaphylactic symptoms, and it remains elevated for up to 3 hours while a high concentration of histamine is observed within one hour (Barnett et al., 2003).
Increased serum level of tryptase often confirms the clinical diagnosis of anaphylaxis due to insect sting or injection of drugs in patients with suddenly developed hypotension. When the symptoms are reduced, it is recommended to conduct a test aimed to identify the presence of IgE in blood. The data accumulated through the test is used to find potentially dangerous allergen which is perceived by the immune system as an alien substance and which causes the allergic reaction.
The major method of treatment for anaphylaxis is epinephrine injection. However, for children, it is suggested to administer antihistamines first because they frequently demonstrate dermal symptoms (Takase & Kosut, 2013). The intramuscular injection of epinephrine should comprise a max of 0.5 mg per dose (Takase & Kosut, 2013). It is also suggested to dose the drug by 0.5 ml of 1:1000 IM two doses per 15 minutes (and every 4 hours if required) (Takase & Kosut, 2013). While epinephrine administration may be regarded as the major method of acute symptoms treatment, antihistamines primarily serve as an additional treatment.
At the beginning of the reactions development, it can be difficult to predict the ultimate severity of the condition, and death can occur within minutes. Each clinical scenario is of individual character every similar episode of anaphylaxis may vary in different patients. Therefore, treatment should be administered immediately, without any delay.
References
Barnett, B., Kort, D., & Campasano, V. J. (2003). The approach to the patient with anaphylaxis. Primary Care Update For OB/GYNS,10(5), 205. Web.
Galli, S. J., & Tsai, M. (2012). IgE and mast cells in allergic disease. Nature Medicine, 18(5), 693-704. Web.
Mustafa, S., & Kaliner, M. (2016). Anaphylaxis. Web.
Stritzke, A. I., & Eng, P. A. (2013). Age-dependent sting recurrence and outcome in immunotherapy-treated children with anaphylaxis to Hymenoptera venom. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 43(8), 950-955. Web.
What does universal health care mean? Which countries in the film have universal health care?
According to Professor William Hsiao, a universal health care system is whereby the health insurance company provides uniform health coverage for all the citizens. The government chips in for the poor while the insurance companies do not necessarily need to incur profits (Reid, 2008). The system works well for countries like the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Cyprus, and Columbia.
In the United States, insurance companies can deny coverage to people who are sick or who have pre-existing conditions, and they can make a profit. How do these two factors impact American health care?
When the health insurance companies deny insurance cover to the sick or people with pre-existing conditions, then the patients themselves have to take up the cost of maintaining their health, which not only turns out to be expensive but also frustrating. Consequently, the patients have to seek alternative means to seek treatment, which strains their finances and time; therefore, based on this aspect, Americans rate their health care systems as poor or below average.
In Germany, the rich pay for the poor, the ill are covered by the healthy, health insurance continues with or without employment, and doctors, who are private entrepreneurs, make less money than they did before reform. Why will doctors in Germany accept less money? Should the rich pay for the poor when it comes to health insurance?
The health system in German maximizes on competition/transparency and not profits or bureaucracy, therefore the doctors earn far much less (Reid, 2008). The doctors have no choice but to accept their pay because the reforms are to ensure all people can access treatment. Additionally, to ensure the poor or sick people access medical assistance, the rich pay for their medical help, and the same scenario can apply in America.
Until 1994, Switzerland linked health insurance to employment; if you lost your job, you lost your insurance. But after the Swiss voted in a new system called LAMal, everyone had to buy health insurance, and insurance companies could not make a profit. Why was the Swiss willing to make this change? Why have people become more supportive of LAMal as time has progressed?
The Swiss government reformed its health insurance systems after learning that the insurance companies were competing for profit at the expense of peoples health. For instance, before the reforms, one could only afford insurance if he/she had employment; unemployment meant no insurance cover. As the years progressed, the people of Switzerland not only adapted, but also supported the new health insurance system because the insurance cover was universal and affordable to all citizens.
At present, between 40 and 50 million Americans are without health insurance. After watching the film, do you believe that providing universal health care should be the policy of the United States? Why or why not?
With a large figure of above forty million people without insurance cover, the American government should change its health reforms and adopt a uniform health insurance system (Reid, 2009, p. 20). The universal health insurance system will work for the Americans because the health system will focus on integrity; not profits. In addition, the universal health system will ensure all people, whether poor or rich, employed or unemployed have good medical care. Finally, if the universal health system applies in other countries like Columbia and Switzerland, then it should not be a problem in the United States.
References
Reid, T. R. (2008). Analysis: Sick around the world. Frontline. Web.
Reid, T. R. (2009). The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health. United States: Penguin press.
Medical conditions are very complex and call for diverse treatment methods and techniques. Advancement in the medical field has introduced the use of medical implants in treatment. Medical implants refer to the tissues or manufactured devices that doctors put on the surface or inside the body of a patient. Normally, doctors use medical implants to replace missing and malfunctioning body parts, deliver medication, monitor body function, and to reinforce body organs and tissues. Individuals use medical implants for health and beauty purposes among others. Since medical implants came into existence, many controversies have emerged. These controversies revolve around the impacts of the medical implants on the health and the quality of life of patients. This paper discusses how medical implants affect the quality of life of patients. It focuses on the use of medical implants as lifesavers. Additionally, it shows how medical implants positively influence the quality of life of patients. Overall, this paper seeks to show that medical implants do more good than harm.
Mainly, medics use medical implants for life-saving purposes. They use medical implants widely in hospitals when treating patients. They use them on individuals with impaired or missing body parts. Recent studies show that a section of the population has medical implants on or in their bodies. For instance, research shows that about 10% of people in the United States have medical implants put inside or on the surface of their bodies. These implants are essential as they help save the lives of the individuals using them. An individual may be missing an essential body part or have one that is malfunctioning. This means that the life of that individual is in danger.
However, doctors can change the situation if they use medical implants on the individual. For example, patients with malfunctioning hearts or those whose heart arteries lack strong enough valves have a short lifespan. However, with the help of biomedical implants such as valves and pacemakers medics can save the lives of the individuals. Also, artificial joints, intraocular lenses, cochlear devices are important medical implants. They are important as they help in providing support to other tissues. Today, domestic, industrial, and road accidents are on the rise. Most of these accidents leave people with missing, weak, or malfunctioning tissues or organs. This puts the lives of these individuals in danger. However, medical implants help to treat these individuals.
Although individuals get medical implants for life-saving purposes, individuals also get implants for entirely different reasons. For instance, some individuals get implants for beauty. Medical implants not only play the role of lifesavers but also the role of improving the quality of life of patients. Medical implants such as breast and cochlear implants improve the quality of life of those individuals who use them. Cochlear implants assist patients with impaired hearing. Once in place, these implants allow individuals to communicate and interact with the environment with more ease. They positively influence the physical functioning of such individuals. As mentioned earlier, there are implants that people use for beauty purposes. Such implants include breast implants among others. These implants are useful as they enhance the beauty of individuals who use them. They add to the looks of the respective individuals. Overall, the importance of medical implants in improving the quality of life of patients physically is evident.
Medical implants also help in improving the psychological state of individuals who use them. Many individuals who have medical conditions tend to have psychological problems. For example, it is common to find that patients suffering from heart conditions will have psychological problems. The patients tend to be anxious, worried, and unsettled. For example, if a patients heart completely lacks valves or has weak valves the patient lives in fear of the heart malfunctioning. However, if such a patient gets medical implants she/he will have some hope.
Psychologically, this patient will have a better quality of life as he/she will be less anxious. This case also applies to individuals who use medical implants for beauty. In most instances, people who engage in these activities are either insecure, looking for appreciation, or want to feel better about themselves. Once such individuals get implants, they feel they have achieved something worthwhile. This has a direct impact on their psychological well-being. Medical implants improve the quality of these individuals by integrating their egos. Consequently, their psychological statuses improve a great deal. Therefore, the advantages of using medical implants are obvious.
In general, medical implants play an important role in the medical field. They not only save the lives of patients but also improve the quality of lives of those patients physically and psychologically. Although implants are essential, they have some shortcomings such as surgery failures. Such incidents contribute to the reluctant use of medical implants. However, with several advancements and improvements, the medical implants will be among the best solutions for handling patients who need replacement, addition, or support for their missing, malfunction, or unimpressive body parts.
While speaking of prenatal testing (PT), it is important to take into consideration both biological and ethical issues associated with it because the prenatal diagnosis is primarily associated with the prevention of birth of a child with a genetic disorder rather than the treatment of the identified disease. At the current stage of PTs development, the early identification of all chromosome disorders, and the majority of congenital malformations becomes possible.
While the non-invasive PT techniques, such as ultrasound, could help to predict genetic disorders in the fetus with less amount of precision, the prenatal DNA diagnosis received through analysis of maternal blood sample is a new high-tech method characterized as the most informative and accurate technique for the identification of different developmental pathologies.
The given non-invasive PT is based on the analysis of cell-free foetal DNA/RNA, which are present in the maternal blood after several weeks of gestation (De Jong et al., 2010, p. 272). The amount of fetal DNA in blood is relatively high, and it thus can be easily isolated. Moreover, the fetal DNA components circulating in the maternal blood have the similar diagnostic value as the fetal cellular DNA.
The accumulated fragments of cell-free DNA are evaluated by using sequencing methods and proceeding the test results through the mathematical algorithms (Womens Health and Education Center, 2014). As a result, the diagnosis based on the data collected through the maternal blood test is credible and accurate. It was observed that the cell-free DNA test is very effective in the identification of Downs syndrome and Edwards syndrome.
Along with the high rates of accuracy, the main advantage of the given PT method is its safety. In contrast to the invasive testing techniques, such as amniocentesis or biopsy, the non-invasive PT uses maternal blood as the main material for the assessment. The invasive PTs are associated with different complications, including the threat of miscarriage, and the implementation of invasive procedures involves anesthesia and hospitalization. At the same time, the collection of the sample in the non-invasive DNA test is very simple, and the threats of harm to a mother or the fetus are thus reduced to a minimum there is no significant physical discomfort or anxiety (Deans, Hill, Chitty, & Celine, 2013).
Another advantage of the non-invasive PT is the opportunity to establish diagnosis at the early stages of the infants development. Comparing to the invasive PTs, which can be conducted only throughout the mature gestational age, the cell-free DNA analysis can be conducted at the 11th week of gestation (De Jong et al., 2010).
Impacts on Families and Society
Every married couple wants to have healthy children, and the health issues at the early stage of the infants development become especially significant after the birth. In many developed countries, the number of children in families decreases, and the positive pregnancy outcomes thus obtain greater value.
The development of genetic disorders has many social, medical, economic, and psychological implications for the families. First of all, some congenital disorders require constant medical supervision throughout the life span of an exposed individual. The diagnosis made at the prenatal stage of development may allow the physicians to implement the intervention practices that can help to minimize adverse outcomes and prevent the development of the curable disorders in a timely manner.
From the social viewpoint, a high rate of disability among the population with the genetic and congenital disorders involves a high level of economic expenses. The diagnosed individuals often cannot care for themselves and their social functioning is impaired. Although the majority of the genetic disorders are associated with a short lifetime and a large percentage of the disabled children die early, it is important to provide them with a good quality of life, the appropriate treatment, and care.
While some children with the genetic disorders can be supported by their families, many abandoned disabled children live in the specialized orphanages. However, care for a disabled person relates to the exorbitant financial costs for both families and organizations. In this way, the non-invasive PT, early diagnosis, and intervention may help to decrease the financial burden connected to the necessity for the medical services and treatment.
Ethical Considerations
As an easy and safe testing, the non-invasive PT may become a norm, and the researchers suggest that the normalization of PT may lead to the expansion of developmental abnormalities included in the analysis (De Jong et al., 2010, p. 272). When the provided information is based on the results of an accurate PT, a pregnant woman may become more inclined to the pregnancy termination. And thus, in case the fetus DNA testing will become a regular procedure, the number of abortions may increase.
The selective abortion is an essential ethical issue in the prenatal diagnosis and assessment. The parents of a child, who doesnt comply with the level of health which is perceived as a norm, may decide to deprive him/her of an opportunity to live in order to get rid of the burdens associated with the care of a disabled child. However, it is possible to say that this ethical problem has a broader scale because it demonstrates the manner of social relation to the disabled and ill people.
The people with disabilities or terminal illnesses are often perceived as the burden for the society. However, the ethical principles state that every diverse person has a right to a high quality of life, and respect for his/her individuality and dignity. The disabled people constitute a significant part of the diverse society, and they should be accepted and provided with the equal opportunities.
Cultural Sensitivity
Consideration of the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the patients may significantly increase the efficiency of communication and treatment. Each individual is influenced by his/her social and cultural experiences which play a role in the formation of the personal values, beliefs, and knowledge. In psychological counseling, the consideration of cultural aspects of a patients identity may allow a specialist to achieve greater risk perception and stimulate the patients for the engagement in the preventive health practices. The cultural sensitivity may help to predict the clients reaction to the suggested methods of treatment and assessment and, in this way, it can help to avoid miscommunication and a threat of unintentional disrespect towards the personal values of the diverse people.
It is observed that in prenatal and genetic counseling, the religious and cultural beliefs of a woman may become a source of psychological comfort and validation of the prenatal diagnosis decision-making (Warren, 2011). To increase mutual understanding, through the dialogue with a patient, a psychologist should identify the individual sources of psychological support as well as the gaps in the medical knowledge, health care beliefs and other multicultural factors that may directly or indirectly affect the prenatal decision-making.
At the same time, it is important to remember that a patients decision should be autonomous, and the psychologist should not influence it in any way. The main task of a counselor is the provision of the necessary information while taking into consideration the individual preferences and characteristics. In this way, by informing a patient, it is possible to facilitate the prenatal decision-making for a woman and her family and reduce the psychological discomfort associated with the prenatal diagnosis.