A problem-based education programme for registered nurses in advanced midwifery and neonatology

Abstract

English: It is the aim of the current government that primary health care should be established in South Africa to address the health care needs of the entire South African population. In this regard midwives are seen as the key figuires to establish comprehensive perinatal health care. The altered focus of the delivery of health care from curative to primary health care demands expertise from midwives to enable them to meet the needs of the community. This requiires an alternative approach to nursing education. Various researchers expressed a concern regarding continuing professional education for midwives. To address these problems, grass root involvement by practising midwilves is proposed, in order to prepare them for continuing education. A proposal was made that continuing professional education should be implemented in the regions. The Perinatal Committee of the Free State supported the need for an education programme for midwives in the region. In response, the learning needs of the registered nurses were formally assessed and the Advanced University Diploma in Midwifery and Neonatolog1y was developed and implemented. The community's perinatal health care problems and the learning needs of the potential students played a significant role: in the development of the objectives and the selection of the content. An innovative teaching methodology, namely problem-based learning was chosen. With the development and implementation of the Advanced University Diploma in Midwifery and Neonatology the researcher not only tried to prepare graduates who can function in clinical context with the demands placed on them are constantly changing, where problems and situations are not easily defined or solved and where the body of knowledge is rapidly changing. The researcher also aimed to prepare health workers who will contribute maximally to the improved health of the individuals and communities they serve and tried to help students to learn how to learn, that is to create independent learners who will assume active responsibility for a lifetime of continuing education and who will be able to keep up with advances in their field.

Afrikaans: Dit is die oogmerk van die huidige regering dat primere gesondheidsorg in SuidAfrika gevestig moet word om aan die gesondheidsbehoeftes van die totale Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking te voorsien. Vroedvroue word in hierdie verband as die sleutelfigure gesien om omvattende verloskundige gesondheidsorg te vestig. Die veranderde fokus in die lewering van gesondheidsorg van kuratiewe na primere gesondheidsorg vereis bepaalde kundigheid van vroedvroue om aan die behoeftes van die gemeenskap te voldoen, wat weer 'n andersoortige benadering tot verpleegopleiding vereis. Hierbenewens spreek verskeie navorsers vir 'n geruime tyd hul kommer uit oor voortgesette professionele opleiding van vroedvroue. Om genoemde probleme aan te spreek, word grondvlakbetrokkenheid van verloskundige praktisyns voorgestel om hulle vir voortgesette professionele opleiding voor te berei. Daar is 'n mening dat voortgesette professionele opleiding binne streeksverband ge'implementeer moet word. Die Perinatale Komitee van die Vrystaat ondersteun die behoefte aan 'n opleidingsprogram vir vroedvroue in die streek. In respons, is die leerbehoeftes van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges bepaal en die Gevorderde Universiteitsdiploma in Verloskunde en Neonatologie ontwikkel en ge·implementeer. Die gemeenskap se perinatale gesondheidsorg probleme en die leerbehoeftes van die potensiele studente het 'n belangrike rol gespeel in die ontwikkeling van die doelwitte en die seleksie van die inhoud. 'n lnnoverende onderrig metode, naamlik probleemgebaseerde - leer is gekies. Met die ontwikkeling en implementering van die Gevorderde Universiteitsdiploma in Verloskunde en Neonatologie het die navorser gepoog om nie alleenlik gegradueerdes voor te berei om in die kliniese verband, waar die eise wat aan hulle gestel word voortdurend verander en waar probleme en situasies nie maklik definieerbaar is of opgelos word nie, te kan funksioneer nie. Die navorser het ook gepoog om gesondheidsorgpersoneel op te lei wat maksimaal tot die verbeterde gesondheid van individue en gemeenskappe wat hulle dien by te dra en het probeer om studente te leer om te leer, dit wil se om onafhanklike leerders te ontwikkel, wat aktiewe verantwoordelikheid vir lewenslange voortgesette professionele opleiding aanvaar en tred sal hou met ontwikkeling in hulle vakgebied.