TY - JOUR
T1 - The Role of Stigma in the Nursing Care of Families Impacted by Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
AU - Recto, Pamela
AU - McGlothen-Bell, Kelly
AU - McGrath, Jacqueline
AU - Brownell, Elizabeth
AU - Cleveland, Lisa M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2020 by The National Association of Neonatal Nurses.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Background: The current US opioid crisis has resulted in a significant increase in opioid use disorder among pregnant and parenting women. Substance use disorders, in general, are highly stigmatized conditions. Stigma serves as a well-documented global barrier to health-seeking behaviors and engagement in healthcare. While extensive research exists on the stigma of mental illness, few studies have explored the stigma experienced by families impacted by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of this article is to explore the role of stigma in the care of families impacted by NAS. Methods: In this article, we present a discussion about the effects of stigma on this patient population and provide exemplars of stigma experiences from our previous research and the existing literature. Findings/Results: Mothers of infants with NAS faced the challenges of overcoming stigma as they were often ostracized, excluded, and shamed. Nurses who provide care for these women and their infants have reported experiencing ethical distress, moral distress, and compassion fatigue. Implications for Practice: Greater awareness of the impact of opioid use on the maternal-child population has resulted in numerous educational offerings for healthcare providers; however, this alone is not adequate to end stigma. Fortunately, promising tools and methods have been developed for assisting nurses with addressing stigma in a manner that can be both nonconfrontational and highly effective. Implications for Research: Future research is needed to explore and evaluate the efficacy of various existing strategies for counteracting harmful stigma in this patient population.
AB - Background: The current US opioid crisis has resulted in a significant increase in opioid use disorder among pregnant and parenting women. Substance use disorders, in general, are highly stigmatized conditions. Stigma serves as a well-documented global barrier to health-seeking behaviors and engagement in healthcare. While extensive research exists on the stigma of mental illness, few studies have explored the stigma experienced by families impacted by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of this article is to explore the role of stigma in the care of families impacted by NAS. Methods: In this article, we present a discussion about the effects of stigma on this patient population and provide exemplars of stigma experiences from our previous research and the existing literature. Findings/Results: Mothers of infants with NAS faced the challenges of overcoming stigma as they were often ostracized, excluded, and shamed. Nurses who provide care for these women and their infants have reported experiencing ethical distress, moral distress, and compassion fatigue. Implications for Practice: Greater awareness of the impact of opioid use on the maternal-child population has resulted in numerous educational offerings for healthcare providers; however, this alone is not adequate to end stigma. Fortunately, promising tools and methods have been developed for assisting nurses with addressing stigma in a manner that can be both nonconfrontational and highly effective. Implications for Research: Future research is needed to explore and evaluate the efficacy of various existing strategies for counteracting harmful stigma in this patient population.
KW - family
KW - mothers
KW - neonatal abstinence syndrome
KW - neonatal intensive care unit
KW - newborn opioid withdrawal syndrome
KW - nurses
KW - opioid use disorder
KW - pregnant/parenting women
KW - stigma
KW - substance use disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090106000&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85090106000&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000778
DO - 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000778
M3 - Article
C2 - 32868585
AN - SCOPUS:85090106000
SN - 1536-0903
VL - 20
SP - 354
EP - 363
JO - Advances in Neonatal Care
JF - Advances in Neonatal Care
IS - 5
ER -