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Lesson Topic: Postpartum Depression (PPD)
Lesson Description
1. This lesson is focusing on professional nursing care of depressed mothers during the
postpartum period.
2. This lesson is about each ten 30- minute- lesson and it provides in-depth knowledge of
depressed mothers occurring during the post partum period such as postpartum blues,
postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis. The lesson also supplies learners
with critical recognitions and needs of depressed mothers’ care for the early detection of
them and the necessary skills to give high quality health care for improving women’s
health as a health professional.
Lesson Goals:
1. To educate health care members on postpartum mental problems such as postpartum
blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.
2. To encourage health care members to conduct proper health care treatments for
improving health conditions of postpartum mothers and maintaining healthy habits of
postpartum mothers.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Understand the need and severity of the systemic and professional care for depressed
mothers during the postpartum period.
2. Describe and state specific characteristics or aspects of postpartum blues, postpartum
depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis.
3. Apply professional knowledge and skills pertaining to postpartum blues, postpartum
depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis to real clinical cases as a health professional.
4. Demonstrate proper interventions and treatments of postpartum blues, PPD, and
postpartum psychosis as a health care professional.
Lesson Materials:
1. PowerPoint presentation
2. Video clips
3. Texts( see Useful Internet Resources below)
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction
a. History and the various aspects of mental diseases such as postpartum blues,
postpartum depression( PPD), and postpartum psychosis occurring during the
postpartum period
b. The reasons for recognizing the seriousness of postpartum blues, postpartum
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depression (PPD), and postpartum psychosis.
c. Statistical data and evidence of postpartum blues, postpartum depression (PPD) and
postpartum psychosis to emphasize the importance of caring for depressed mothers
during the postpartum period.
2. Characteristics
a. Category of depression
b. Overall symptoms of depression: postpartum blues, postpartum depression (PPD),
and postpartum psychosis.
c. Critical aspects of postpartum mental diseases such as postpartum blues, postpartum
depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis; incidence rate, onset, duration and each
detailed symptom.
d. Causes of postpartum blues, postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis.
3. PPD Assessment
a. The specific signs and symptoms of PPD
b. The significant predicators of PPD: important data and history of identifying PPD
cases.
c. Case study and discussion: diverse clinical cases related to postpartum blues,
postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum psychosis and discussions about related
health problems, proper nursing interventions, treatments, and a further teaching plan.
4. PPD interventions
a. PPD screening tools:
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iii.
iv.
Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D)
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS)
Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) (Dzurec, 2005; Driscoll,
2006; Lintner, 2006).
b. Instructions for using the EPDS to detect depressed mothers; practice how to utilize
this tool to screen depressed mothers.
c. Case Study and Discussion: identifying depressed mothers, the assessment of each
situation and in-depth discussions about significant health problems, proper nursing
interventions, treatments, and a further teaching plan for depressed mothers.
5. Treatments
a. Support Group: definition, brief procedures, methods, advantages and disadvantages
of using support group therapy
b. Medication therapy: definition, brief procedures, methods, advantages and
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disadvantages of using support group therapy.
c. Case Study and Discussion; identifying depressed mothers, the assessment of each
case, discussions about identifying significant health problems, proper nursing
interventions, treatments and a further teaching plan.
Expectation:
Students will be expected to:
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Do readings on text materials as scheduled
Review online materials related to key topics and post more additional readings and
recourses with specific personal comments
Participate in online discussion and lesson actives
Complete pre & post test
Complete all quizzes and turn in by due date
Assessment Evidences:
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Pre & Post test for overall evaluation of the lesson
Students' participation in online discussion and lesson activities
Playing game related to key topics and concepts
Quizzes during the course to evaluate important concepts and health care activities
Leaning Activities:
1. Each student will be asked to read assigned text materials and post more relevant
resources by accessing internet resources.
2. Each student should complete each short quiz after each lesson to reinforce key topics
and concepts
3. PowerPoint presentation will be seen during the lesson to summarize and organize
important contents
4. Recorded video tapes related to the topics will be used as supportive evidences of key
concepts
5. Video and audio clips will be included to support learners’ understanding
Useful internet resources:
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: http://www.4women.gov/
National Institutes of Mental Health, NIH, HHS: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
National Mental Health Information Center, SAMHSA, HHS:
http://www.mentalhealth.org
American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org
Postpartum Education for Parents: http://www.sbpep.org
Postpartum Support International: http://www.postpartum.net
PPD Hope: http://ppdhope.com/
PPD Mom: http://www.1800ppdmoms.org/
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References
Driscoll, J. W. (2006). Postpartum Depression: how nurses can identify and care for women
grappling with this order. AWHONN Lifelines, 10(5), 400-409.
Dzurec, L. C. (2005). Intervening in the experience of depression: Nurse’s forte. Journal of
Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Service, 43(1), 6-7.
Lintner, N., & Gray, B. (2006). Childbearing & depression: what nurses need to know. Awhonn
Lifelines, 10(1), 50-57.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from
http://www.4women.gov/