Joan E. Edwards

Achieving Millennium Development Goal 5 the improvement of maternal health.

The purpose of this article is to describe the progress made toward the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 5, the improvement of maternal health. Maternal mortality rates (MMR) remain high globally, and in the United States there have been recent increases in MMR. Interventions to improve global maternal health are described. Nurses should be aware of the enduring epidemic of global maternal mortality, advocate for childbearing women, and contribute to implementing effective interventions to reduce maternal mortality.

Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery

Approximately 83 percent of bariatric surgery patients are women, and many are of childbearing age. Pregnancy should not be attempted until weight loss and nutritional intake have stabilized. Care providers should pay careful attention to the nutritional status of the mother, fetus and neonate and test the mother for gestational diabetes.

Sustainable Development Goals and the Ongoing Process of Reducing Maternal Mortality

&NA; Innovative programs introduced in response to the Millennium Development Goals show promise to reduce the global rate of maternal mortality. The Sustainable Development Goals, introduced in 2015, were designed to build on this progress. In this article, we describe the global factors that contribute to maternal mortality rates, outcomes of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, and the new, related Sustainable Development Goals. Implications for clinical practice, health care systems, research, and health policy are provided.

The Experience of Pregnancy in Women Living With HIV: A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence

&NA; The lived experience of pregnancy from the perspectives of women living with HIV (WLWH) is not well understood. We aimed to understand the meaning of pregnancy for WLWH. A meta‐synthesis was conducted to review and integrate qualitative studies about the phenomena; 12 databases were used to perform the search in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Articles using qualitative methods published in peer‐reviewed journals were included. Data were analyzed using the meta‐synthesis method. We found that, for pregnant WLWH, pregnancy evolved as a mediated experience of commitment and dedication. The vital life experience of pregnancy was defined as an interplay of emotions, coping strategies, and feelings of satisfaction. Pregnancy in WLWH was experienced and impacted by societal beliefs, as the women focused all their efforts to take care of themselves and their babies.

Factors to Consider When Planning Short-Term Global Health Work

Volunteer opportunities in short-term global health work can be rewarding experiences, but careful planning and preparation are vital. Potential problems to avoid include ineffective, harmful care; cultural ego-centrism; and lack of sustainability and cost effectiveness. Short-term global health work is most effective when the focus is on ongoing sustainable projects that include a long-term commitment and partnership with host communities.

A Cultural Immersion Experience in Indonesia for U.S. Nursing Students.

Cultural immersion experiences as part of the education of health care professionals are important as our global focus expands through technology, natural disasters, pandemics, wars and the mobility of the world population. This is the story of a recent cultural immersion experience to Indonesia by U.S. nursing students. Student groups each chose an Indonesian health topic for an in-depth focus. Students critically evaluated published research and discussed evidence-based practice ideas applicable to their selected health issues. Using this knowledge, they developed PICO posters for presentation at an international nursing conference in Indonesia. The students greatly valued their opportunity to experience a different culture firsthand and to spend time with Indonesian students and faculty.

The Journey to Health and Wholeness in One Small Corner of Indonesia

The population of Banda Aceh is presently about 4 million people; approximately 220000 people were killed here during the tsunami. That means that about 1 of every 18 people from this area is gone for all eternity. Banda Aceh is spread over a very wide area up and down the coastline of the tip of Sumatra. It spreads back into the valley up to the foothills of the mountains that are controlled by rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (also called Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or GAM). Indonesian troops are still very visible. Its Thursday and were ready for our first full day of clinics. Yesterday we did a half-day clinic in one of the Banda Aceh villages in a mosque--a convenient location usually centrally located and accessible for the people we are trying to serve. There are still many areas close to the ocean that are destroyed and remain untouched. On the way here we passed a mass grave of 9000 people. Hard to imagine. Its already grown over with grass but is marked with several Indonesian flags. (excerpt)