Purpose: This 2-day Institute will support nurse trainers who are implementing a universal postpartum home visiting program. The Public Health Nurse's role as trainer and content expert is facilitated through the use of a comprehensive curriculum that addresses issues related to postpartum care of both the mother and infant, the family's transition, and other concerns that the family may have.
Audience: The Institute is designed for Public Health Nurses to train those nurses implementing a postpartum home visiting program to all families.
Institute Features: The Institute provides a rich and engaging learning environment that includes: - A comprehensive manual prepared by Canadian experts in public health nursing, early intervention, child development, and family support.
- A customization process that allows local communities the opportunity to ensure the manual and training reflect local philosophies, programs, and systems supporting families with newborns.
- 8 ready to deliver modules with training plans, activities, and handouts already prepared on such topics as maternal and infant physical and emotional health; infant feeding; parenting, attachment and the newborn; and child abuse
- References to additional information and resources.
- Diverse learning formats including small and large group work, expert presentation, video analysis, and case studies.
Institute Goals: - To enhance and develop the knowledge and skills of those training professional nurse home visitors in postpartum care.
- To build local capacity to train professional nurse home visitors on an ongoing basis.
- To affirm the importance of training for postpartum home visiting
- To raise the level of knowledge and skills of professionals that work with at-risk families with young children and their role in postpartum intervention.
- To affirm the valuable role professional nurse home visitors have in the lives of new parents.
A CURRICULUM FOR TRAINING PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES
CONDUCTING POSTPARTUM HOME VISITS An Introduction to Postpartum Home Visiting Focus: - Vision, goals, guidelines and components of the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children Program
- Importance of the postpartum home visit within the continuum of services for families with new babies
- Parental perception about parenting and the implications for the postpartum home visit
- Concept of "at risk" and identification of children who may be "at risk"
- Appropriate action for children at risk
Conducting the Postpartum Home Visit Focus: - The role of the Public Health Nurse and the requirements of the postpartum home visit
- Scope of possible interventions
- Importance of working within an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of families
- Awareness of issues related to cultural diversity and strategies to address the issue
- Strategies for increased personal safety
Maternal Physical and Emotional Health Focus: - Assessment of maternal physical and emotional health in the postpartum period
- Distinction between normal and abnormal findings
- Assessment of red flag findings
- Appropriate teaching and nursing interventions
- Assessment of postpartum depression
- Nursing interventions for postpartum depression
Infant Physical Health and Safety Focus: - Assessment of infant's physical health in the early postpartum period
- Distinction between normal and abnormal findings
- Assessment of red flag findings
- Importance of health and safety issues for new parents
Infant Feeding Focus: - Exploration of different approaches and beliefs toward breastfeeding
- Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother and the newborn
- Assessment of successful feeding
- Identification and correction of common feeding problems
- Linkage to breastfeeding support systems
- Exploration of different approaches and beliefs toward breastfeeding
- Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother and the newborn
- Assessment of successful feeding
- Identification and correction of common feeding problems
- Linkage to breastfeeding support systems
Family Transitions and Baby Focus: - Common challenges faced by families in adjusting to a newborn
- Strategies for supporting the family's transition to a new baby
- Responses to commonly expressed concerns by parents of newborns
- Use of a postpartum home visit to alleviate parental anxieties and discuss the basics of baby care
Parenting, Attachment and the Newborn Focus: - Importance of the parent-infant relationship during the first few days of life
- Recognition of signs of a poor attachment
- Supporting families to become familiar with the meaning of infant cues
- Supporting families to promote a secure attachment with their baby
- Characteristics and significance of infant temperament
- Interventions to support bereaved families
Child Abuse and Family Violence Focus: - Definition of and factors contributing to child abuse
- Indicators that an infant may have been abused or is at risk for abuse
- Documentation of indicators of abuse
- How to respond to a disclosure of abuse
- Feelings that interfere with mandatory reporting
- Provincial child protection legislation
- Reporting procedures and responsibilities
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