Refinement of the partogram: an educational perspective

Abstract

A deductive, descriptive, quanitative study was undertaken at Nyangabgwe Hospital, Francistown, Botswana, situated in the north east of the country. Its focus was on the use of partogram by midwives. The population consisted of 395 obstetric records for the period of one month. A sample of 303 obstetrics records was drawn. Data were collected through auditing the bed letters of delivered mothers and interviews with and observation of midwives using the partogram in practice. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program was used to analyse the data. The findings indicate that there are problems regarding, and factors that can have a negative influence on the use of the partogram by midwives. It is suggested that a supportive teaching programme for the midwives should be designed, that will support the system of supervision in the labour ward that already exists, in the use of the partogram throughout the labour process.