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Midwives’ Professional Competencies for Preventing Maternal Mortality in Disasters: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2017

Ziba Taghizadeh ,
Mahsa Khoshnam Rad  and
Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
Ziba Taghizadeh
Affiliation:
Nursing and Midwifery School of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahsa Khoshnam Rad*
Affiliation:
Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran, Iran
Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Mahsa Khoshnam Rad, MSc, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Nosrat St, Tohid Sq, 1419733171, Tehran, Iran (e-mail: M.khoshnamrad@gmail.com).
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Abstract

Objective

Maternal mortality may increase after a disaster. Because midwives are at the frontline of offering reproductive health care services in disasters, they should be competent.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study carried out in 2015 in Tehran. The sample consisted of 361 midwives selected by use of a cluster random sampling method. Data were collected by using a questionnaire on professional competency for preventing maternal mortality in disasters.

Results

The midwives’ mean professional competency score was 177.74±31, which was an average level of professional competency. The level of knowledge and skills of the midwives was reported as inadequate for most items, particularly for the items of “managing mothers affected by chronic diseases,” “physical trauma,” “recognizing patients who needed to be referred,” and “stabilizing mothers when referring them.” Statistically significant relationships were observed between the midwives’ competencies and age (P=0.001), work experience (P=0.054), educational level (P= 0.043), previous experience in a disaster (P=0.014), and workplace (P=0.006). These data were drawn by using Spearman’s correlation, t-test, and ANOVA, respectively.

Conclusions

Given the average scores for midwives’ professional competency in disasters and the inadequacy of prior training courses, extra educational programs for midwives are recommended. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 305–311)

Keywords

professional competencymidwifematernal mortalitydisasters
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , June 2018 , pp. 305 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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