Attitudes of staff towards mothers affected by substance abuse

Lavinia Raeside1

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Bermuda.

British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|April 12, 2003
PubMed

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of education and experience on the attitudes of neonatal nurses/midwives when caring for mothers and infants affected by substance abuse. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 50 nurses/midwives. The attitude of nurses/midwives towards mothers affected by substance abuse was generally negative/judgemental, and their knowledge base was low. The most experienced nursing staff generally had a more negative attitude than those nurses/midwives with less neonatal experience. Formal neonatal education did not appear to have a positive effect on knowledge base or attitudes; however, results implied that in-service education on substance abuse might have a mildly positive effect on attitudes. Results indicate a need for formal education on substance abuse and its effect on the neonate and mother, and that specialist education on substance abuse may influence attitudes.

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