It is well established that the care of pregnant or postpartum women with substance use disorder(SUD) can be a source of work-related stress for clinicians (Maguire, Webb, Passmore, & Cline, 2012). Providers must balance the ethical principle of beneficence, or preventing harm, with fidelity, which requires fairness, truthfulness, and advocacy (ANA, 2015). This can be a challenge for clinician who are in positions where there is a mandatory requirement to report a pregnant woman’s substance use. In these situations, clinicians must be compassionate, truthful, forthcoming and transparent when communicating obligations with patients to maintain trust in the patient-provider relationship. This discussion will provide recommendations for compassionate care for women with SUD including education on mental health, SUD, interpersonal violence, and treatment options (Hill, 2013). As patient advocates, clinicians can be a strong voice for pregnant women with substance use disorder and their unborn babies (Ferszt, Hickey, & Seleyman, 2013).
Learning Objectives:
Objective 1: Describe physical challenges pregnant or breastfeeding women face with substance use disorder and the clinical impacts for their infants.
Objective 2: Analyze a health care providers ethical obligations to deliver compassionate and transparent care.
Objective 3: Identify specific recommendations for treatment that benefit pregnant women with SUD and their infants.
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