Vital aspects of nursing: the family planning component
Bhandari, U.; Bhandari, V.
Nursing Journal of India 73(5): 141-143
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-6503 PMID: 6923319 Document Number: 187446
3 basic conditions are needed to accelerate the adoption of India's family planning program: social approval for the program; knowledge about family planning; and availability of services. The program is likely to succeed if an intensive drive is made to establish effective communication with people in order to create in them a recognition of the value of a small family. Nursing personnel form a vital component of the health team that has to shoulder major responsibilities in creating the above basic conditions in the country. Their knowledge, skills and devotion bring them close to the patients and communities under circumstances where most of their advice is welcomed. This, along with the nature of their tasks, can help nurses to help the families in accepting the family planning program. As educators nurses will need to integrate an educational component in their daily activities and to utilize various interactional situations to inform couples about the advantages of planned parenthood, available methods for spacing and limitation, motivate them to accept a contraceptive method, to remove doubts and fears about family planning methods, and to make people aware of the maternal and child health (MCH) component of the program. It is essential for a nurse to judge the effectiveness of her instruction. She can accomplish this by observing and studying the reactions and actions of her audience. Nurses also have a role in planning special aspects of the family planning program. As program planners, nurses must draw inferences from the collected data and apply these in developing a feasible and effective program for their respective areas. Nurses can play an important role in determining training needs of volunteers and in developing and imparting training. Every nurse functions to some degree in a supervisory capacity. In the family planning program the role of a nurse includes the supervision of auxiliary nurse midwives, traditional birth attendants, family planning depot holders, and others who are involved in the program in both clinic and community situations. In clinical settings nurses can assist in arranging clinics to follow procedures for prescribing clinical methods, in the maintenance of equipment, distribution of medicine, and preparation of case cards. In the rural areas nurses can aid in the development of an efficient supply line in the community. Nurses can also play an important role in the maintenance of family planning records.