Making a Difference for Adolescent and Young Single Mothers

Presenter: Wendy Peterson RN, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON

Presentation Outline/Description: Adolescent and young single mothers experience judgmental care from health care providers including perinatal nurses. Such poor experiences are harmful because they deter mothers from trusting providers and seeking care when needed. Join our session with researchers, mothers and clinicians to critique the common understanding of risks that adolescent and young single mothers face and to learn how you can make an important difference in their lives.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the evidence about the risks associated with pregnancy and early parenting for adolescent or young single women.
• Value the strengths of adolescent and young single mothers.
• Describe behaviours that are commonly perceived as judgmental by young single mothers and identify how to make the necessary changes to nursing practice.

Wendy Peterson RN, PhD is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. Wendy’s clinical background includes working in high risk obstetrics and neonatal intensive care. She teaches in the undergraduate and graduate programs, supervises graduate students and conducts research.  Wendy’s program of research aims to improve the quality and experience of maternal-newborn health services for marginalized women, reduce unnecessary interventions during pregnancy and birth, and promote the role of registered nurses in maternal-newborn health services.