Graduate Midwifery Education in Uganda Aiming to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health Outcomes.
Asphyxia Neonatorum
/ therapy
Cesarean Section
/ education
Clinical Competence
Curriculum
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
Education, Nursing, Graduate
/ methods
Female
Health Workforce
Humans
Infant Health
Infant, Newborn
Male
Maternal Health
Midwifery
/ education
Nursing Education Research
Perinatal Care
Perioperative Care
/ education
Pregnancy
Resuscitation
/ education
Uganda
Journal
Annals of global health
ISSN: 2214-9996
Titre abrégé: Ann Glob Health
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101620864
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 05 2020
21 05 2020
Historique:
entrez:
2
6
2020
pubmed:
2
6
2020
medline:
6
7
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Maternal and newborn health outcomes in Uganda have remained poor. The major challenge affecting the implementation of maternal and newborn interventions includes a shortage of skilled midwives. In 2013, Lira University, a Ugandan Public University, in partnership with Seed Global Health, started the first Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BScM) in Uganda with a vision to develop a Master of Science in Midwifery (MScM) in the future. Evaluate results of Lira University's Bachelors in Midwifery program to help inform the development of a Masters in Midwifery program, which would expand midwifery competencies in surgical obstetric and newborn care. Lira University and Ministry of Health records provided data on curriculum content, student enrollment and internships. The internship reports of the graduate midwives were reviewed to collect data on their employment and scope of practice. Interviews were also conducted with the graduates to confirm the added skills they were able to apply and their outcomes. The critical competences incorporated into the Bachelor in Midwifery curriculum included competences to care for pre- and post-operative caesarian section patients or assist in a caesarean section, newborn care (e.g. resuscitation from birth asphyxia), anesthesia, and theatre techniques, among others. Overall, 356 students (40.2% male, 59.8% female) enrolled in the BScM program over the period 2013-2018. Annual data shows an increasing trend in enrollment. Of the 32 graduates in January 2019, 87.6% were employed in maternal and newborn healthcare facilities, and 12.4% were employed in midwifery private practice. Follow-up interviews revealed that the graduate midwives reported positive maternal and newborn outcomes and the ability to practice advanced obstetrics and newborn care skills they acquired from the training. There is growing interest in a graduate midwifery education program in Uganda for both male and female students. The retention of the graduate midwives in healthcare facilities gives a renewed hope for mothers and newborns, who benefit from their extra obstetrics and newborn care competences in settings where there are neither medical doctors nor obstetricians and gynecologists. Further, larger tracer studies of the graduate midwives to identify the kinds of obstetric surgeries and newborn care services they ably performed and their corresponding maternal and newborn health outcomes is recommended. Also recommended is advocacy for recognition of extra skills of graduate midwives by health authorities in Uganda and the region.
Sections du résumé
Background
Maternal and newborn health outcomes in Uganda have remained poor. The major challenge affecting the implementation of maternal and newborn interventions includes a shortage of skilled midwives. In 2013, Lira University, a Ugandan Public University, in partnership with Seed Global Health, started the first Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BScM) in Uganda with a vision to develop a Master of Science in Midwifery (MScM) in the future.
Objective
Evaluate results of Lira University's Bachelors in Midwifery program to help inform the development of a Masters in Midwifery program, which would expand midwifery competencies in surgical obstetric and newborn care.
Methods
Lira University and Ministry of Health records provided data on curriculum content, student enrollment and internships. The internship reports of the graduate midwives were reviewed to collect data on their employment and scope of practice. Interviews were also conducted with the graduates to confirm the added skills they were able to apply and their outcomes.
Findings
The critical competences incorporated into the Bachelor in Midwifery curriculum included competences to care for pre- and post-operative caesarian section patients or assist in a caesarean section, newborn care (e.g. resuscitation from birth asphyxia), anesthesia, and theatre techniques, among others. Overall, 356 students (40.2% male, 59.8% female) enrolled in the BScM program over the period 2013-2018. Annual data shows an increasing trend in enrollment. Of the 32 graduates in January 2019, 87.6% were employed in maternal and newborn healthcare facilities, and 12.4% were employed in midwifery private practice. Follow-up interviews revealed that the graduate midwives reported positive maternal and newborn outcomes and the ability to practice advanced obstetrics and newborn care skills they acquired from the training.
Conclusion
There is growing interest in a graduate midwifery education program in Uganda for both male and female students. The retention of the graduate midwives in healthcare facilities gives a renewed hope for mothers and newborns, who benefit from their extra obstetrics and newborn care competences in settings where there are neither medical doctors nor obstetricians and gynecologists.
Recommendations
Further, larger tracer studies of the graduate midwives to identify the kinds of obstetric surgeries and newborn care services they ably performed and their corresponding maternal and newborn health outcomes is recommended. Also recommended is advocacy for recognition of extra skills of graduate midwives by health authorities in Uganda and the region.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32477888
doi: 10.5334/aogh.2804
pmc: PMC7243829
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
52Informations de copyright
Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s).
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
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