Introdução: A Organização Mundial de Saúde propõe características menos intervencionistas da assistência ao parto, enfatizando o papel das obstetrizes e enfermeiras obstétricas como as profissionais mais apropriadas para o acompanhamento das mulheres com gestação e parto normais. A Universidade de São Paulo (USP) iniciou, em 2005, o Curso de Graduação em Obstetrícia da Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH-USP). Esse Curso nasceu com o desafio de reativar a formação do profissional obstetriz, visando a mudanças no modelo assistencial ao parto vigente. Objetivo: Conhecer a vivência acadêmica e a inserção profissional das(os) obstetrizes egressas(os) da primeira turma do Curso de Obstetrícia da EACH-USP. Método: Pesquisa de caráter exploratório e descritivo, com uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Para a abordagem qualitativa foi utilizado o Estudo de Caso. A amostra foi composta por 24 egressas(os) da primeira turma do Curso, de um universo de 44 formandas(os) que ingressaram em 2005. Os dados foram coletados no período de maio a agosto de 2010, por meio de entrevista gravada. O instrumento de coleta de dados foi composto por perguntas abertas e fechadas. A análise compreendeu a caracterização do perfil sócio-demográfico e econômico das(os) egressas(os) e sua trajetória acadêmica e profissional. Para análise dos dados foram utilizadas a estatística descritiva e a análise de conteúdo, adotando as concepções pedagógicas da EACH-USP, o Projeto Político-Pedagógico do Curso de Obstetrícia e os estudos sobre egressos como marcos teóricos. Resultados: Identificou-se que a maioria das(os) egressas(os) eram mulheres, solteiras, jovens e residentes na cidade de São Paulo, com renda familiar em torno de três a dez salários mínimos, com formação escolar anterior em escolas privadas. Após a conclusão da graduação, 17 egressas(os) voltaram a estudar, sendo seis em cursos de mestrado ou doutorado, seis em outro curso de graduação e os demais em cursos de atualização. Havia 14 egressas(os) inseridas(os) no mercado de trabalho, mas apenas quatro atuando na Obstetrícia, devido aos impedimentos legais para obter o registro profissional de Obstetriz. Da análise qualitativa dos dados, extraíram-se as seguintes categorias: Curso de Obstetrícia; Opção pelo Curso de Obstetrícia; Vivência Acadêmica; Formação Acadêmica; Inserção no Mercado de Trabalho, Sugestões para Melhorar a Formação dos Alunos; Sugestões para Aproximar Ex e Atuais Alunos. Ao final do estudo, considerou-se que as(os) obstetrizes perceberam sua formação acadêmica como adequada para enfrentar o mercado de trabalho, mas destacaram limitações como a falta de maiores contatos profissionais durante o curso, a carga horária reduzida em disciplinas práticas e a infra-estrutura deficiente da EACH-USP, que foram parcialmente superadas ao longo do Curso. Os itens mais valorizados na vivência acadêmica foram a realização de estágios, a iniciação científica e o contato com os professores. Em relação à inserção profissional, prevalece o discurso carregado de revolta e indignação com o Conselho Regional de Enfermagem, devido à resistência do órgão em reconhecer seu diploma para fins de registro profissional. Considerações Finais: O Curso de Obstetrícia da EACH-USP oferece um ensino de qualidade e forma obstetrizes com potencial para contribuir para a transformação da assistência obstétrica. Embora venham sendo feitas mudanças para aprimoramento do Curso, dificuldades relativas ao reconhecimento legal do exercício profissional das egressas representam ameaças à sua continuidade. / Introduction: The World Health Organization proposes less interventionist characteristics of childbirth care, emphasizing the role of midwives and nurse-midwives as the professionals best suited to the monitoring of women with normal pregnancy and delivery. The University of São Paulo (USP) began in 2005, the Undergraduate Program in Midwifery at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH-USP). This course was created with the challenge to revive the training of professional midwife in order to change the current model of care delivery. Objective: To know the academic experience and professional inclusion of (the) egresses midwives of the first class of midwifery course EACH-USP. Method: Research on exploratory and descriptive, with a quantitative and qualitative approach. For the qualitative approach was used the case study. The sample was composed of 24 egresses (the) the first class of course, a universe of 44 graduates who were admitted in 2005. Data were collected between May to August 2010, through recorded interviews. The data collection instrument consisted of open and closed questions. The analysis included the characterization of sociodemographic and econimic profile of (the) egresses and his academic and professional trajectories. For data analysis we used descriptive statistics and content analysis, adopting the pedagogical conceptions of EACH-USP, the Pedagogical Policy Project of the midwifery Course and studies of egresses as theoretical frameworks. Results: We identified that the majority of (the) egresses were women, single, young and living in the city of São Paulo, with a family income of around three to ten minimum salary, previous schooling in private schools. After completion of graduation, 17 egresses (the) returned to study, six courses in master\'s or doctorate, six another undergraduate and other in courses to upgrade. There were 14 egresses (the) inserted (the) labor market, but only four working in obstetrics, on account of legal impediments for the registration of professional midwives. The qualitative analysis of data, we extracted the following categories: Midwifery Course, Choice of Midwifery Course, Academic Experience, Academic training; Entering the Labor Market, Suggestions for Improving the Training of Students; Suggestions for bringing Past and Present Students . At the end of the study it was considered that (the) midwives perceived their academic training as appropriate to meet the labor market, but highlighted limitations such as lack of major professional contacts during the course, reduced the workload in practical subjects and deficient infrastructure of the EACH-USP, which were partially overcome throughout the course. Items valued at more academic experience were the realization of stages, the basic scientific research and contact with teachers. In relation to professional inclusion, the prevailing discourse laden with anger and indignation with the Regional Nursing Council, because of resistance of the organ to recognize their qualifications for professional registration. Conclusion: The Midwifery Course EACH-USP offers a quality education and prepares midwives with the potential to contribute to the transformation of obstetrical care. Although changes may be made for improvement of course, difficulties relating to legal recognition of professional practice of the egresses represent threats to its continuity.

Introdução: A Organização Mundial de Saúde propõe características menos intervencionistas da assistência ao parto, enfatizando o papel das obstetrizes e enfermeiras obstétricas como as profissionais mais apropriadas para o acompanhamento das mulheres com gestação e parto normais. A Universidade de São Paulo (USP) iniciou, em 2005, o Curso de Graduação em Obstetrícia da Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH-USP). Esse Curso nasceu com o desafio de reativar a formação do profissional obstetriz, visando a mudanças no modelo assistencial ao parto vigente. Objetivo: Conhecer a vivência acadêmica e a inserção profissional das(os) obstetrizes egressas(os) da primeira turma do Curso de Obstetrícia da EACH-USP. Método: Pesquisa de caráter exploratório e descritivo, com uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Para a abordagem qualitativa foi utilizado o Estudo de Caso. A amostra foi composta por 24 egressas(os) da primeira turma do Curso, de um universo de 44 formandas(os) que ingressaram em 2005. Os dados foram coletados no período de maio a agosto de 2010, por meio de entrevista gravada. O instrumento de coleta de dados foi composto por perguntas abertas e fechadas. A análise compreendeu a caracterização do perfil sócio-demográfico e econômico das(os) egressas(os) e sua trajetória acadêmica e profissional. Para análise dos dados foram utilizadas a estatística descritiva e a análise de conteúdo, adotando as concepções pedagógicas da EACH-USP, o Projeto Político-Pedagógico do Curso de Obstetrícia e os estudos sobre egressos como marcos teóricos. Resultados: Identificou-se que a maioria das(os) egressas(os) eram mulheres, solteiras, jovens e residentes na cidade de São Paulo, com renda familiar em torno de três a dez salários mínimos, com formação escolar anterior em escolas privadas. Após a conclusão da graduação, 17 egressas(os) voltaram a estudar, sendo seis em cursos de mestrado ou doutorado, seis em outro curso de graduação e os demais em cursos de atualização. Havia 14 egressas(os) inseridas(os) no mercado de trabalho, mas apenas quatro atuando na Obstetrícia, devido aos impedimentos legais para obter o registro profissional de Obstetriz. Da análise qualitativa dos dados, extraíram-se as seguintes categorias: Curso de Obstetrícia; Opção pelo Curso de Obstetrícia; Vivência Acadêmica; Formação Acadêmica; Inserção no Mercado de Trabalho, Sugestões para Melhorar a Formação dos Alunos; Sugestões para Aproximar Ex e Atuais Alunos. Ao final do estudo, considerou-se que as(os) obstetrizes perceberam sua formação acadêmica como adequada para enfrentar o mercado de trabalho, mas destacaram limitações como a falta de maiores contatos profissionais durante o curso, a carga horária reduzida em disciplinas práticas e a infra-estrutura deficiente da EACH-USP, que foram parcialmente superadas ao longo do Curso. Os itens mais valorizados na vivência acadêmica foram a realização de estágios, a iniciação científica e o contato com os professores. Em relação à inserção profissional, prevalece o discurso carregado de revolta e indignação com o Conselho Regional de Enfermagem, devido à resistência do órgão em reconhecer seu diploma para fins de registro profissional. Considerações Finais: O Curso de Obstetrícia da EACH-USP oferece um ensino de qualidade e forma obstetrizes com potencial para contribuir para a transformação da assistência obstétrica. Embora venham sendo feitas mudanças para aprimoramento do Curso, dificuldades relativas ao reconhecimento legal do exercício profissional das egressas representam ameaças à sua continuidade. / Introduction: The World Health Organization proposes less interventionist characteristics of childbirth care, emphasizing the role of midwives and nurse-midwives as the professionals best suited to the monitoring of women with normal pregnancy and delivery. The University of São Paulo (USP) began in 2005, the Undergraduate Program in Midwifery at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH-USP). This course was created with the challenge to revive the training of professional midwife in order to change the current model of care delivery. Objective: To know the academic experience and professional inclusion of (the) egresses midwives of the first class of midwifery course EACH-USP. Method: Research on exploratory and descriptive, with a quantitative and qualitative approach. For the qualitative approach was used the case study. The sample was composed of 24 egresses (the) the first class of course, a universe of 44 graduates who were admitted in 2005. Data were collected between May to August 2010, through recorded interviews. The data collection instrument consisted of open and closed questions. The analysis included the characterization of sociodemographic and econimic profile of (the) egresses and his academic and professional trajectories. For data analysis we used descriptive statistics and content analysis, adopting the pedagogical conceptions of EACH-USP, the Pedagogical Policy Project of the midwifery Course and studies of egresses as theoretical frameworks. Results: We identified that the majority of (the) egresses were women, single, young and living in the city of São Paulo, with a family income of around three to ten minimum salary, previous schooling in private schools. After completion of graduation, 17 egresses (the) returned to study, six courses in master\'s or doctorate, six another undergraduate and other in courses to upgrade. There were 14 egresses (the) inserted (the) labor market, but only four working in obstetrics, on account of legal impediments for the registration of professional midwives. The qualitative analysis of data, we extracted the following categories: Midwifery Course, Choice of Midwifery Course, Academic Experience, Academic training; Entering the Labor Market, Suggestions for Improving the Training of Students; Suggestions for bringing Past and Present Students . At the end of the study it was considered that (the) midwives perceived their academic training as appropriate to meet the labor market, but highlighted limitations such as lack of major professional contacts during the course, reduced the workload in practical subjects and deficient infrastructure of the EACH-USP, which were partially overcome throughout the course. Items valued at more academic experience were the realization of stages, the basic scientific research and contact with teachers. In relation to professional inclusion, the prevailing discourse laden with anger and indignation with the Regional Nursing Council, because of resistance of the organ to recognize their qualifications for professional registration. Conclusion: The Midwifery Course EACH-USP offers a quality education and prepares midwives with the potential to contribute to the transformation of obstetrical care. Although changes may be made for improvement of course, difficulties relating to legal recognition of professional practice of the egresses represent threats to its continuity.

The purpose of the study was to analyse if the two year upgrading programme done at Malawi College of Health Sciences attended by Nurse Midwife Technicians (NMTs) is able to improve the competencies, knowledge, skills and attitude of the graduates when providing comprehensive nursing and midwifery care. The main objectives of this study were • to determine the effectiveness of the Upgrading Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery programme in preparing the competencies of State Registered Nurse Midwifes (SRNMs) • to make recommendations on the training of Upgrading Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery programme The researcher used a quantitative, exploratory, descriptive design. A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data from SRNMs who completed the upgrading programme. The findings indicated that the upgrading programme has a significant impact to improve the competencies of the NMTs to work as SRNMs. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of the study was to analyse if the two year upgrading programme done at Malawi College of Health Sciences attended by Nurse Midwife Technicians (NMTs) is able to improve the competencies, knowledge, skills and attitude of the graduates when providing comprehensive nursing and midwifery care. The main objectives of this study were • to determine the effectiveness of the Upgrading Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery programme in preparing the competencies of State Registered Nurse Midwifes (SRNMs) • to make recommendations on the training of Upgrading Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery programme The researcher used a quantitative, exploratory, descriptive design. A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data from SRNMs who completed the upgrading programme. The findings indicated that the upgrading programme has a significant impact to improve the competencies of the NMTs to work as SRNMs. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Literature has shown that Malawi is experiencing a shortage of qualified healthcare providers, with the greatest burden on maternal and neonatal health. The majority of health service providers are Nurse-Midwife Technicians (NMT), contributing to 87% of the nursing and midwifery workforce. However, research has shown that the NMTs lack the ability to transfer skills into different clinical settings. It was not known what competencies were taught in Christian Health Association of Malawi colleges to equip the NMTs with clinical competence in neonatal nursing practice and how the clinical teachers assisted these NMTs to acquire the competencies. Furthermore, there was no documentation on the availability of a clinical competency-based assessment tool to validate the NMTs’ achievement of clinical competence in neonatal nursing. The purpose of this study was to develop a neonatal nursing care clinical competency-based assessment tool to validate NMTs’ achievement of clinical competence in CHAM nursing colleges. The competency, outcomes and performance assessment (COPA) model and the skills acquisition model were the conceptual frameworks used as the foundation of the study. The study adopted a sequential mixed method approach in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized. Data collection was conducted using focus group discussions, document review and cross-sectional survey. The design and development model developed by Reeves (2006) and steps to development of assessment tools identified by the Department of Training and Workforce Development (2012) guided the study and development of the competency-based assessment tool. The study was conducted in eight CHAM nursing colleges. The researcher employed purposive, convenient and proportional stratified sampling to select the participants. Ethics clearance was obtained from the University of Western Cape and the National Health Sciences Ethical Research Committee in Malawi, prior to data collection. The data collection involved 31 midwifery clinical teachers and 140 third year students for the FGD and 48 midwifery clinical teachers and 195 third year students for the cross section survey. Document analysis was conducted at all the eight nursing colleges. The qualitative data was analysed using content analysis with Atlas.ti 7 and the quantitative data was analysed using descriptive analysis with SPSS 22. The research findings showed that the NMTs were taught basic nursing skills to enable them provide basic care to the health newborn baby. However, there were inadequate clinical assessments done to validate the NMT’s achievement of clinical competence in this setting. In addition, the clinical teachers used skills checklists to evaluate the NMTs clinical performance on specific procedures. The outcome of this study was the establishment of neonatal nursing clinical competencies, and development of a neonatal nursing care clinical competency-based assessment tool for the validation of NMT’s achievement of clinical competence. The tool provides a framework for neonatal nursing clinical teaching and assessments as well as tracking of the NMT’s clinical performance in this setting. It is recommended that training institutions should reinforce mechanisms to track the students’ clinical experience and performance assessments using this tool to ensure quality student outcomes. Furthermore, the clinical teachers should be oriented on the use of the developed assessment tool for familiarisation; thereby enhancing consistency and objectivity in the students’ performance assessments. / ICAP-NEPI Project Malawi

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to conduct evaluation research on the implementation of the Baby and Mother Friendly Initiative in Namibia in order to identify its successes and failures, as well as to develop guidelines for the strengthening of the programme. An evaluation research design using a sequential mixed-methods approach to collect qualitative and quantitative data was conducted. In phase 1, qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Participants were the chief health programme officer for nutrition at national level and nurse managers in charge of the baby and mother friendly hospitals. In phase 2, quantitative data were collected from 391 registered and enrolled nurses/midwives working in the baby and mother friendly hospitals through a self-administered questionnaire. Both phases 1 and 2 indicated partial implementation of the Baby and Mother Friendly Initiative programme. Factors influencing the implementation positively or negatively were identified. The integrated findings formed the basis of guidelines to strengthen the programme. Nine guidelines were developed and validated. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The aim of the study was to investigate motivation, job satisfaction and attitudes of nurses in the public health services of Botswana. The objective was to discover how nurses felt about a wide range of variables in their work environment and ultimately to distil them into what they conceived as the mainstay motivators, job satisfiers and positive attitudes. The non pariel (unrivalled, unique) role of the government in creating both the hardware and the software of national health services was acknowledged and recognised with a particular reference to the primacy it placed on developing the human resources in the form of nurses, in order to realize the goals of administering the public health services efficiently and effectively. It was noted that nurses were the change agents and the axis in promoting quality standards of healthcare but in partnership with the government, which must be seen to be responsive and proactive in discharging its fiduciary responsibilities, in respect of both the content and the context of nurses’ occupational ambience. For the purposes of constructing a database from which both the government and the nurses can draw, the most salient thematic details of the theories of motivation, job satisfaction and attitudes were studied and examined and were used as a scaffolding for the empirical survey of nurses. Nine hundred questionnaires were distributed to both registered and enrolled nurses with a minimum of two years work experience in the public health sector and 702 of these were returned constituting a return rate of 78%. The findings indicated that a majority of nurses enjoyed job satisfaction in certain areas of their work namely autonomy, participating in decision-making, choice of type of nursing, change of wards or departments or work units, interpersonal relationships amongst nurses themselves and between nurses and their supervisors. Nurses also perceived the hospital as an environment in which they could continually learn and they were moreover satisfied with the nursing job or the work itself. The other end of the spectrum revealed an overwhelming majority of 92.2% of nurses who were dissatisfied with the level of pay and 88.5% who were not happy with the fringe benefits including the provision of accommodation. Working conditions were viewed as generally disliked by 67.3% of the nurses. Low pay, workload, lack of viii recognition for outstanding performance and or delayed promotional chances were singled out as being particularly disliked by 67.2%, 64.9%, 42.6% and 44.4% of the nurses respectively. Interviews held with 31 nurses yielded similar results. The research further showed that the most important motivators to nurses were dominated by competitive salary which was mentioned by 80.9% of the respondents, attractive or sufficient working conditions which were stated by 71.2% of the nurses, opportunity for continuous education which was rated by 63.8% of the nursing candidates, reduced workload which was claimed by 59.3% of the nursing cadres, opportunity for the recognition of outstanding performance and opportunity for promotion which were scored by 54.1% and 53.4% of the nurse respectively. Job satisfiers were also represented by competitive salary which received 76.1% of the nurses’ votes. Risk allowance occupied the second position with 69.1% and competitive working conditions were awarded a third ranking by 68.2% of the nurses. Those nurses who derived job satisfaction from the fact of each nursing shift being manned by an adequate number of nurses accounted for 63.1% of the sample. Competitive fringe benefits attracted 60.1% of the nurses. Opportunity to attend workshops and the need for high morale in nursing team-work were chosen as job satisfiers by 53.7% and 49.6% of the nurses respectively. In the section on recommendations the government was exhorted to invoke corrective or remedial measures in view of the detailed exegesis of the satisfactions and dissatisfactions in the nurses’ work environment and the ensuing problematique (doubtful, questionable) of raising the standards of health care in the public health services. Living up to these sanguine expectations should be the cherished longterm vision of the government if it is to meet and quench the soaring aspirations of its modernizing society for quality health care delivery and the escalating needs of the nurses. / Public Administration / D.P.A.

The purpose of the study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurse-midwives related to obstetric care at Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used. Data were collected using structured questionnaire from 45 nurse-midwives. The findings revealed that nurse-midwives had mean knowledge score of 10.5(80.7%) out of a possible 13(Standard Deviation (SD) 1.31) on obstetric care issues. However, the majority of nurse-midwives (n=28, 62.2%) did not have knowledge on the steps of the active management of third stage of labour according to the WHO. The mean scores on practice were 34.5(86.2%) against a possible 40(SD 5.43) for antenatal care, 39.2(89%) against a possible of 44(SD 4.66) and 22.4(93.3%) against a possible of 24(SD 2.18) for postnatal care. The study revealed that nurse-midwives had positive attitudes towards obstetric care practices with mean score for attitudes was 23.4(86.7%) against a possible score of 27(SD 3.02) / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

<p>Men’s violence against women is a universal issue affecting health, human rights and gender-equality. In pregnancy, violence is a risk for both the mother and her unborn child.</p><p>The overall aims were: to determine the prevalence of such violence in a Swedish pregnant population, to investigate pregnant women’s attitudes to questioning about exposure to violence, and to evaluate experience gained by antenatal care midwives having routinely questioned pregnant women regarding violence.</p><p>All women registered for antenatal care in Uppsala, Sweden, during 6 months were assessed regarding acts of violence. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) was used twice during pregnancy and again after delivery when the women were asked an open-ended written question regarding attitudes to questioning about violence. Midwives’ experiences regarding routine assessment were evaluated in focus group discussions.</p><p>The AAS questions were answered by 93% (1,038) of those eligible. Physical abuse by a partner or relative during or shortly after pregnancy was reported by 1.3%, and by 2.8% when the year preceding pregnancy was included. Lifetime sexual abuse was reported by 8.1%. Repeated questioning increased the abuse detection rate. Abused women reported more previous ill-health, and women physically abused during pregnancy more pregnancy terminations than did non-abused women. Abuse assessment was found entirely acceptable by 80%, both acceptable and unacceptable/disagreeable by 5% and solely unacceptable/ disagreeable by 3%, while 12% were neural. Abused and non-abused women did not differ regarding disinclination to answer the abuse questions. According to the midwives the delicacy of the subject and the male partners’ presence were the most prominent remaining obstacles to routine determination of violence. </p><p>Routines are required to make questioning about violence an integral part of antenatal care. This would necessitate a private appointment for the woman, knowledge among care providers about the nature of men’s violence, and awareness of referral options.</p>