2019 Volume 28 Issue 2 Pages 69-78
This study aimed to elucidate the difficulties experienced by visiting nurses who provide mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women with high psychosocial risk factors.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted for six visiting nurses, and their responses were analyzed with a qualitative descriptive approach.
Consequently, difficulties experienced by visiting nurses who provide mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women with high psychosocial risk factors were first identified as follows:（1）“difficulty in providing preventive mental health care from pregnancy period” comprising ［stress associated with providing care for the first time］, ［inability to provide care because contact cannot be established］, ［difficulty in getting women to accept care］, ［difficulty in getting women to receive ongoing care］, and （2）“difficulty in providing mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women in various mental states” comprising ［difficulty in establishing a relationship with pregnant and postpartum women who are difficult to communicate with or to create a trustful relationship］, ［difficulty in providing care by involving the family］, ［difficulty in assessment of the woman’s mental state］, ［difficulty in providing support and care for pregnant and postpartum women with mental illness or mental instability］, and （3）“difficulty caused by feeling restless while providing mental health care” comprising ［being unconfident whether the support and care provided were adequate］, ［difficulty in maintaining stability in the emotions of visiting nurses］．
