The Selected Topics Issue of the Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing always has varied components within its contents. This issue is no exception. A group of articles dissimilar in topic but applicable to perinatal practice and healthcare is included. Within the perinatal section, one article provides an extensive review, one documents the development of a new index of care, another describes a collaborative model of care, and the last article reviews ethical decision making in the labor and birth setting.
Kramer et al present a collaborative model of care for pregnant women who are experiencing intimate partner violence. This article describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a nurse-led, evidence-based initiative to advance the health and safety of abused pregnant women. Programmatic related data on performance improvement are noted along with innovative educational programming.
Fink et al provide a systematic review of relaxation and the use of relaxation techniques during pregnancy. Previous studies in the literature have commented on reported associations between maternal stress and pregnancy outcomes. In this review, the authors reflect on the results in the literature regarding both obstetric and neonatal outcomes.
Roller presents an entirely different article that documents the development of a Perinatal Self Care Index. Her article focuses on the development of an evidence-based assessment tool for use with survivors of childhood sexual abuse. This index is sensitive to differences in posttraumatic stress. The focus of this index is to determine sensitivity to differences in behaviors of survivors of childhood sexual abuse and to also validate usefulness in relation to birth weight.
Finally, Simmonds focuses on ethical decision making in intrapartum nursing. Her article explores the ethical aspects of intrapartum nursing by applying ethical principles and moral reasoning to an everyday scenario encountered by labor nurse. Implications for practice and the development of healthy moral communities are considered.
The neonatal manuscripts for this Special Topics volume focus on families and parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The mix of research studies and the review/theory article provide information on a spectrum of specific aspects of the impact of a family care program in Norway, parent coping, and parent relationship.
The CE article by Manning considers the effect of the NICU experience on the parents' relationship. The article includes a review of the limited literature on what is known about parent responses to being in the NICU and then goes further to draw upon knowledge from studies on parents of children with chronic illnesses to set forth a hypothesis of the potential negative impact the NICU experience could have on the parental relationship.
Wataker et al present the results of a study from Norway. The study examined the effect of an NICU family care program on maternal confidence and breast-feeding compared with mothers in an NICU offering standard care without the facilities to stay 24 hours per day. The findings showed that mothers in the family care program reported greater confidence and were more likely to be breast-feeding after discharge to home.
Concern regarding how to support parents during their infants' NICU stays remains high. In response, many NICUs have structured care practices and developed policies to support families. Understanding parents' experiences is key to designing systems of care and care practices that can support parents. Smith et al report on a qualitative study that examined parents' experiences and their abilities to cope during their NICU experiences. The authors summarize the findings of ways that parents cope and recommend implications for staff support.
In addition, we are publishing a letter to the editor submitted in response to an article published in the "Resuscitation" volume earlier this year. Also, be sure to read the columns provided by are column editors Drs Susan Blackburn and Jacqueline M. McGrath.
-Diane J. Angelini, EdD, CNM, NEA-BC, FACNM, FAAN
Perinatal Editor
-Susan Bakewell-Sachs, PhD, RN, PNP-BC
Neonatal Editor