Use your b.r.a.i.n.s.
When you are in the hands of health care you may not know which options there are, which decisions you can make, etc. Today I will talk about the very useful tool B.R.A.I.N.S. to make informed decisions.
According to Swedish law you as a patient when you are being treated by health care, any type of health care, are entitled to making informed decisions about your treatment. You are also, legally allowed to say no to part of the health care offered and yes to other parts, without receiving lesser care because you are opting out of certain parts.
A very useful tool to make sure you get all the information you need when you are pregnant, giving birth or even postpartum is the acronym B.R.A.I.N.S.
B.R.A.I.N.S. stands for
B - What are the benefits? - Meaning what are the positive outcomes expected from this suggested treatment or intervention. Why the health care provider thinks this is a good option for you at this time. Information you should be offered by this question should be both evidence based and clinical experience based. An answer such as “it is routine” is not a sufficient answer, you should be informed why it is routine and how this routine can possible benefit you.
R- What are the risks? - There are pros and cons with almost everything in life. For you to make an informed decision you need to know what research and clinical experience tells you about the possible risks or negative outcomes involved in a chosen treatment or intervention. It is rare for a intervention to have no risks or side effects, so if someone tells you “there are none” you may want to consider that they don't know and aren't telling you or don't have all the facts.
A - What are the alternatives? - For many treatments or interventions alternatives exist, and these should be included in the information given for you to make an informed choice. Maybe you feel like the treatment or intervention you have been offered isn't exactly what you want or feel comfortable with, but maybe one of the alternatives are.
I - What do my instincts tell me? - This one is all about tuning in to your instincts or intuition to really figure out what is right for you. There is only so much research evidence or best clinical evidence can tell you, in the end you have to make the choice that is best for you and your baby. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and listen inward, you have the answer.
N - What if we do nothing? - Sometimes doing nothing, being patient, waiting is what feels right for you in the moment. Maybe you want to have a little more time before saying yes to an intervention, or maybe the options presented to you don't feel right. Here the health care professionals should give you information on what they expect will happen if nothing is changed at this moment.
S - Give us some space to consider our options. - In most cases an intervention or treatment is not an emergency, and therefore you can ask for time to consider what feels right for you. Maybe you and your support person or birth companion need some time to talk through your options before you come to a decision. Maybe you want to contact someone you know and trust to give you are more rounded POV. Make sure that you get space to make your choice and aren't pressured in to making a decision.
That is BRAINS!
I aslo have a YouTube video on this topic, watch it here!
