Abstract

In Malawi the neonatal death rate is at 31/1000 live births with birth asphyxia contributing to 25%. In 2013, Chiradzulu District hospital had an average of 155 neonatal deaths out of 4142 live births of which birth asphyxia contributed to 52% of all deaths. The project was implemented from May 2014 to April 2015. Team members were midwives, anesthetists and clinicians from the hospital's labour ward. The project activities included: On-job and formal trainings on HBB and documentation, creation of an HBB corner, mobilization of resuscitation equipment and supportive supervision. Monitoring was done through qualitative oral feedback from midwives and quantitative review of HBB register and neonatal death audits and compared with baseline data.

Project activities were implemented according to plan. Four midwives and one clinician attended formal HBB training; 46 midwives were oriented on HBB through Continuing Professional Development sessions (From the District Hospital and surrounding health centers); 32 midwives received supportive supervision. As a result neonatal deaths due to birth asphyxia decreased from 52 % to 31% and documentation in the HBB register also improved.

Results have shown that intensifying on-job training and supportive supervision of midwives can improve neonatal outcomes. I have acquired leadership skills through training and mentorship from the leadership academy organised by Johnson and Johnson and STTI. I am certain that the knowledge and evidence gained from the leadership journey will improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in my country.

Description

This presentation is the summation of a project undertaken as part of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy (2014-2015 cohort).

Author Details

Chismo Bande; Colette Phiri; Prof. Ellen Chirwa

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Maternal Child Health, Helping Babies Breath (HBB), Leadership

Conference Name

Tau Lambda Conference 2015

Conference Host

Tau Lambda at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Johannesburg, South Africa

Conference Year

2015

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Faculty/Mentor Approved: Sigma Academy Participant Poster

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

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Improving quality of care for neonates with birth asphyxia through helping babies breath program at Chiradzulu District Hospital, Malawi

Johannesburg, South Africa

In Malawi the neonatal death rate is at 31/1000 live births with birth asphyxia contributing to 25%. In 2013, Chiradzulu District hospital had an average of 155 neonatal deaths out of 4142 live births of which birth asphyxia contributed to 52% of all deaths. The project was implemented from May 2014 to April 2015. Team members were midwives, anesthetists and clinicians from the hospital's labour ward. The project activities included: On-job and formal trainings on HBB and documentation, creation of an HBB corner, mobilization of resuscitation equipment and supportive supervision. Monitoring was done through qualitative oral feedback from midwives and quantitative review of HBB register and neonatal death audits and compared with baseline data.

Project activities were implemented according to plan. Four midwives and one clinician attended formal HBB training; 46 midwives were oriented on HBB through Continuing Professional Development sessions (From the District Hospital and surrounding health centers); 32 midwives received supportive supervision. As a result neonatal deaths due to birth asphyxia decreased from 52 % to 31% and documentation in the HBB register also improved.

Results have shown that intensifying on-job training and supportive supervision of midwives can improve neonatal outcomes. I have acquired leadership skills through training and mentorship from the leadership academy organised by Johnson and Johnson and STTI. I am certain that the knowledge and evidence gained from the leadership journey will improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in my country.