Facilitation of midwifery students regarding utilisation of a partograph

Abstract

Lack of disciplined use of a partograph in the management of labour is a widespread concern. Given the high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rate experienced in Africa, appropriate interventions that support good clinical management are necessary. As one of the ten key recommendations in the Third Report on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in South Africa, recommendation 8 states that ''the correct use of a partograph should become a norm at each institution conducting births'' (National Department of Health, 2006:24). The overall purpose of this study was to determine whether midwifery students were adequately facilitated regarding the utilisation of a partograph as a midwifery record. The study was exploratory and descriptive. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions. The self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 80 midwifery students during their final year of study; 75% (n=60) completed questionnaires were returned. The findings illustrated that students were adequately facilitated theoretically. There was evidence of minimal facilitation of midwifery students in the clinical setting. This might have implications for the underutilisation of the partograph by registered midwives. Recommendations regarding the effective facilitation of the students in the management of labour, with regard to the utilisation of a partograph, as a midwifery record will be provided based on the research results.