The future of professional education in natural family planning

J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2004 Jan-Feb;33(1):34-43. doi: 10.1177/0884217503258549.

Abstract

Nurses and other health care professionals often have little knowledge of methods of natural family planning (NFP) and do not readily prescribe natural methods for their patients. One reason for this is that little or no information on NFP is provided in nursing or medical schools. The holistic, informational, and integrative nature of NFP fits well with professional nursing practice. A university online distance education NFP teacher training program, which offers academic credit and includes theory, practice, and the latest developments in fertility monitoring, has been developed for health care professionals. Professional NFP services in the United States need to meet worldwide standards and include documenting and assessing pregnancy outcomes, tailoring NFP services to the client or couple, and simplifying them for ease of use in a standard health care practice.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Clinical Competence / standards
  • Curriculum
  • Education, Distance / organization & administration*
  • Education, Professional / organization & administration*
  • Forecasting
  • Guidelines as Topic
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Natural Family Planning Methods* / methods
  • Natural Family Planning Methods* / nursing
  • Natural Family Planning Methods* / trends
  • Needs Assessment
  • Nurse's Role
  • Research / organization & administration
  • United States