The maternal and child health challenges in Jigawa State is indeed enormous as shown by indicators such as maternal mortality rate of about 91/1000 live births and under 5 years’ mortality rate of 217/1000 (NDHS, 2008) with majority of the deaths occurring at the rural community levels. These high maternal and child mortality ratios have been linked to among others acute shortage of trained, competent and skilled midwifery personnel.

The situation depicted above clearly indicates the need for the training of midwives to curtail to the barest minimum the mortality rates in the state.

This curriculum is specifically designed for the training of midwives, who are critical to the delivery of safe maternal and child health services at all levels.

By this special education, the midwife practitioner is able to make independent judgment, manage normal midwifery, provide appropriate care including family planning and refer individual with high-risk pregnancies and complications to other levels of health care.

A person who has successfully completed this programme of instruction, is registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and holds a license that enables her to practice as a midwife.

 

AIM

The aim of this programme is to prepare competent, skilled, versatile and autonomous midwifery practitioners, who are capable of providing high level health care to individuals and expectant families in the homes, communities, health centers, hospitals and clinics in rural and urban areas.

 

VISION

Established as a health training institution; to professionally train disciplined, highly skilled and motivated midwives towards having a healthy and productive population in Jigawa State and beyond.

 

MISSION

To provide students with a broad based knowledge that is aimed at developing the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in the provision of quality, holistic patient/client care in the state; with opportunities for self and professional development particularly in midwifery research, education and computer literacy, and to provide communities with quality patient care, that is based on a sound body of knowledge, which takes cognizance of societal and cultural values.

 

PHILOSOPHY

The philosophy of the midwifery programme is based on the following premises:

• The family is the basic unit of human existence; thus basic midwifery practice must be family centered.
• The woman is a vital partner in the midwife-client relationship who should be empowered to reduce gender imbalance in all sexual and reproductive health issues.
• Midwifery education which enables the midwife develop specialized knowledge and skills for midwifery practice.
• Continuing professional development programmes to keep the midwife abreast of the dynamic and challenging maternal, child and reproductive health issues in the society.

 

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this programme, the student will be able to:

• Assess the health needs of the community with special reference to the basic needs of the individuals/family.
• Utilize the nursing process providing comprehensive nursing/midwifery services to individuals and groups in the community and all health care settings.
• Manage minor disorders during antenatal, labour and postnatal periods of the childbearing circle.
• Function independently and in collaboration with other members of other health teams, inter-sectoral teams and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to provide comprehensive reproductive health services.
• Practice and maintain safe and clean delivery service.
• Supervise the clinical experience of student midwives and other health workers.
• Effectively organize and manage clinic to achieve the goals of health maintenance by utilizing available human and material resources.
• Sensitize, mobilize and educate individuals, families and groups in order to effect positive changes in the reproductive pattern of the community.
• Utilize the knowledge and skill of information, educate and communicate in improving reproductive health care services.
• Counsel and provide family planning services.
• Monitor the effect of family planning services in individuals and the community.
• Identify and refer high risk clients to other member of the health team for specialization care.
• Initiate and conduct rese4arch in reproductive and other related health issues.

 

COMPETENCES

The competences of an individual who has successfully completed the requirements of the midwifery programme include the ability to:

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate the nursing needs of the community with special reference to the expectant individuals/family.
• Prevent and control communicable diseases especially those (eg STIs, HIV) that may affect the health families/individual by initiating community surveillance programmes and maximizing the use of human and material resources.
• Function independently and collaboratively with allied health professionals and inter-sectoral team to provide comprehensive material and child health care services at all levels of health care.
• Plan, establish, organize and manage antenatal, postnatal, family planning and infant welfare clinics and assist in school health clinics.
• Manage clients/patients during normal pregnancy, labour and puerperium.
• Performance and repair episiotomy.
• Deliver, resuscitate, prescribe and supplement care for the new born.
• Monitor the total health care plan for the mother, child and family in order to meet the specific needs during the neonatal period.
• Order, store, prescribe and independently administer drugs under the jurisdiction of independent midwifery function in any area of clinical practice.
• Diagnose and treat minor disorders occurring during the childhood period.
• Anticipate/recognize risk factors, take prompt action and refer were necessary.
• Teach, guide and supervise the practice of other health personnel including students in material and child health services.
• Plan with and guide families and communities on the methods necessary for achieving and maintaining healthy life styles.
• Educate the community on family planning services and administer contraceptive devices in accordance with socio-cultural values and needs of the people.
• Evaluate maternal and child health care services and conduct research with the aim of improving and developing techniques to meet the changing needs and demand of the people.
• Initiate care in emergency situations to save the life of mother and/ or child in the absence of medical care.
• Screen women for cancers using visual inspections via acetic acid (VIA).
• Treat pre-cancerous lesions via chemotherapy.
• Use anti-shock garments to treat shock.
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults and children.
• Set intravenous line.

 

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

The Basic Midwifery Education Programme shall be a 3 year programme.

 

TEACHING METHODS

Emphasis shall be on integrating theory with related practical demonstrations and clinical experiences and specialties.

 

Teaching/learning methods shall include:

• Lecture
• Lecture/Discussion
• Practical/Demonstration
• Clinical instruction
• Group Discussion
• Patient/Client Care studies
• Individual project
• Home/health visit (Advocacy)
• Clinical Round
• Field Trip
• Role Modeling
• Role play
• Seminar
• Tutorial
• Simulation
• E- leaning