The Importance of Tele-Nursing in the Administration of Family Planning Services in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

With the onset of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the increase in cases, countries are struggling to treat and control the transmission of COVID-19 cases. In addition, problems arise in continuous access to non-emergency health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning. It is important to ensure the continuity of family planning services by applying the solutions and guides developed by the countries against these emerging problems. Unwanted pregnancies and maternal and infant deaths may occur if family planning methods cannot be accessed for up to a year. For this reason, it is thought that tele-nursing services will play a key role in maintaining individuals' access to family planning methods throughout the pandemic. Tele-nursing will not only enable health care that can be delivered remotely, but also reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection for both the community and healthcare workers. In this direction, both women's health and public health nurses play an active role in the management of the family planning process with tele-nursing practices in the COVID-19 pandemic, providing counseling about access to emergency contraception, providing counseling on the use of oral contraceptive pills, prescribing oral contraceptive pills to be given and managing the follow-up of individuals.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Pandemic
• Family planning
• Tele-nursing.

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Aile Planlaması Hizmetlerinin Yürütülmesinde Tele-hemşireliğin Önemi

Öz

Koronavirüs Hastalığı-2019 (COVID-19) pandemisinin başlaması ve vakalardaki artış ile birlikte ülkeler, COVID-19 vakalarının tedavisi ve bulaşını kontrol altına almak için çabalamaktadır. Ayrıca bu süreçte aile planlamasını da kapsayan cinsel sağlık ve üreme sağlığı hizmetleri dahil olmak üzere acil olmayan sağlık hizmetlerine sürekli erişim konusunda sorunlar ortaya çıkmaktadır. Ortaya çıkan bu sorunlara karşı ülkeler tarafından geliştirilen çözüm önerileri ve rehberlerin uygulanmasıyla aile planlaması hizmetlerinin sürekliliğinin garanti altına alınması önem arz etmektedir. Bir yıla varan sürede aile planlaması yöntemlerine erişilememesi durumunda, istenmeyen gebelikler ve anne-bebek ölümleri meydana gelebilmektedir. Bu nedenle tele-hemşirelik hizmetlerinin, pandemi boyunca bireylerin aile planlaması yöntemlerine erişiminin sürdürülmesinde anahtar rol oynayacağı düşünülmektedir. Tele-hemşirelik, yalnızca uzaktan verilebilecek sağlık hizmetlerine olanak sağlamakla kalmayacak, aynı zamanda hem toplum hem de sağlık çalışanları için COVID-19 enfeksiyonu riskini azaltacaktır. Bu doğrultuda, COVID-19 pandemisinde tele-hemşirelik uygulamaları ile aile planlaması sürecinin yönetiminde hem kadın sağlığı hem de halk sağlığı hemşireleri, acil kontrasepsiyona ulaşım hakkında danışmanlık verilmesi, oral kontraseptif hapların kullanımı ile ilgili danışmanlık sağlanması ve verilecek oral kontraseptif hapların reçetelendirilmesi ve bireylerin takibinin yönetilmesi konusunda aktif rol oynamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• Pandemi
• Aile planlaması
• Tele-hemşirelik.

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