Lee SmithBattle, RN, DNSc, School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, 3525 Caroline St., St. Louis, MO 63104, 314-977-8980, smithli@slu.edu

This paper describes therapeutic letters as one of the clinical tools in an intervention study with teenage mothers. The broad goal of the study is to test the effectiveness of Listening with Care (LWC) in supporting the teen mothers’ life course, promoting maternal sensitivity, and supporting the development of PHN expertise. The study employs a quasi experimental before and after evaluation design in which each nurse serves as her own control. The control group of teen mothers receives “standard” PHN care; the second group receives “enhanced” care after PHNs are trained in LWC. Both groups of teens are enrolled during the third trimester of pregnancy and followed 6 months postpartum. Outcome measures include teen’s perception of her infant, teen depression scores, maternal sensitivity, teen’s relationship with her parent, and the nurse-teen relationship. Qualitative interviews are conducted monthly with PHNs to document the logistics of implementing LWC and the development of clinical expertise. Training includes letter writing, the therapeutic value of which was first described by Moules of nursing practice at the Family Nursing Unit at the University of Calgary. In this study, therapeutic letter writing by the PHNs is designed to acknowledge the teen’s strengths and challenges and to strengthen the nurse-teen relationship. Teens enrolled in LWC receive letters at one and six months postpartum, or more frequently based on clinical judgment. This paper provides examples of letters written by the nurses and will describe their perspectives on writing the letters and the teens’ responses to receiving them.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe therapeutic letter writing as a clinical tool.
• Examine the perspectives of PHNs who have used letters in a clinicial trials.
• Discuss the potential usefulness of letter writing in home visiting practice

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Home Visiting

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.