Abortion counselling by nurse specialists

Area of Science:

• Medical Sciences
• Nursing
• Public Health

Background:

• Family planning services often involve complex patient journeys.
• Abortion counseling is a critical component of reproductive healthcare.
• Specialized training can enhance healthcare provider efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of additional training for nurse specialists in abortion counseling.
• To assess the efficiency and resource utilization in family planning services post-training.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of patient data following nurse specialist training.
• Tracking patient outcomes, including pregnancy status, decision for termination, and referral patterns.
• Monitoring the interval between counseling and termination of pregnancy (TOP).

Main Results:

• Out of 742 patients, 3.2% were not pregnant, and 3.4% opted against termination post-counseling or due to gestation.
• 83% of 682 terminations occurred in the first trimester.
• Additional training reduced the need for repeat visits for blood tests (5.1%) and social work referrals (5.3%).

Conclusions:

• Enhanced training for nurse specialists in abortion counseling is effective.
• This specialized training optimizes resource allocation and patient flow in family planning clinics.
• Trained nurse specialists contribute to efficient and timely reproductive healthcare delivery.