The Basics of Maternal Child Nursing
Maternal child nursing (MCN) is a nursing field where practitioners mainly deal with mothers, infants, children and their families. Most maternal child nurses work in hospitals. They are generally assigned in pediatric units, OB-Gyne wards, newborn care facilities, delivery rooms, and in places that cater to family medicine. Maternal child nurses are also called to work in rural health units, public health stations and family centers.
MCNs may choose to specialize in their field. These nurses are called Advance Practice Nurses (APNs) in the maternal child field. Maternal child APNs are often found in administrative, educational and research positions.
Goal of a Maternal Child Nurse
The basic goal of any MCN is to provide the utmost care to women, children and their families. These nurses also strive to assist women achieve optimal health, child bearing, and child rearing. In its purest form maternal child cursing is a family centered practice. All nursing interventions in MCN should be administered with the patient and the patient’s family in mind.
Care Provided by an MCN
The maternal child nursing field is very broad. It encompasses a lot of specialties and MCN often find themselves working in a wide range of settings. Below are a few periods in a woman and child’s life that involve maternal child nursing care:
- Care Before Conception – It is the MCN’s role to take care of women in their productive years even before she conceives. The nurse working with these women should make sure that the patient understands her state of health. It is also important to let the patient know any risks involved in pregnancy.
- Care During Conception – Care during conception involves the nurse administering pre-natal care to pregnant mothers. This includes health and dietary teachings. MCNs may also be the ones to educate mothers on what to expect during pregnancy and once the baby is born. Maternal child nursing care also encompasses the birth and the time directly after it.
- Care During Infancy and Early Childhood – MCNs care for children from the moment of birth up to the early years of life. This care period involves assisting the physician when children arrive in the hospital or clinic.
Aside from the care periods mentioned above, the MCN also takes on the role of a direct caregiver to the patient. The nurse will be the one to assess the patient, give medication and carry out any doctor’s orders. Some primary care giving tasks may be delegated to other members of the nursing team. But, it is still the head MCN’s responsibility to ensure that all tasks are done properly.
Published at: 07/15/2015
