Institute of health sciences

MODULE OUTLINES

Phase 1: Introductory Topics and Normal Pregnancy and Childbirth Care (32 weeks)

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  Introduction to the training program
  
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  Overview of materials
  
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  How to use library
  
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  Student responsibilities on the program (study skills)
  
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  Visits to health facilities
  

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  The midwife in the community (Job Description)
  
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  Introduction to professional behaviors and midwifery ethics (ICM Code of Ethics)
  
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  Maternal and newborn health in Afghanistan (maternal & newborn mortality and morbidity)
  
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  Social and cultural context of health in Afghanistan
  
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  Safe motherhood and midwifery
  
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  The sexual and reproductive rights of women
  

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  Provision and access to Maternal and Newborn Health
  
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  Basic Package of Health Services
  
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  Essential Package of Hospital Services
  
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  Orientation to relevant policies
  
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  Referral systems
  

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  Health Education – overview, methods, midwives as health educators, IEC, community mobilisation
  
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  Interpersonal communication and counselling (IPCC) and the basics of IPCC
  
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  Counselling – role of counselling, techniques, rights of clients
  
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  Communication and gender
  
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  Confidentiality
  

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  General nutrition
  
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  Nutritional problems in Afghanistan and how to address these
  
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  Nutritional needs during pregnancy
  
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  Nutritional needs of the newborn and small child
  

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  Overview of all systems
  
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  Male and female reproductive systems in detail (integrate sexuality)
  
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  CV system; respiratory system; alimentary tract and liver; endocrine system
  
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  Vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure)
  

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  Physiologic changes in the reproductive system
  
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  Changes in other systems (cardiovascular, urinary, endocrine)
  
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  Detecting and diagnosing pregnancy
  
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  Auscultation of heart, lungs and bowel
  

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  General principles of basic care - hygiene
  
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  Overview of key skills for basic care (problem solving, infection prevention practices, record keeping)
  
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  Principles of medication and vaccine administration (including preparation and routes of administration) and giving injections (include vaccinations)
  
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  Pre and post operative care, wound care
  

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  Personal and communal hygiene
  
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  Infection prevention practices for health care providers
  

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  Focused antenatal care (FANC)
  
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  The basic antenatal visit (assessment, including history, physical examination, pelvic examination, confirmation of pregnancy, and calculation of EDC; care provision, including birth planning, preventive measures, and health education and counseling)
  
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  Birth preparedness and complication readiness including place for birth, funds, transportation and social support, danger signs
  
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  Promotion of women’s empowerment and decision making
  
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  Common discomforts in pregnancy
  
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  Special needs, including anemia, HIV, and gender-based violence
  

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  Normal labor and childbirth, including the physiology and mechanism of labor; diagnosis and confirmation of labor
  
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  Introduction to childbirth care
  
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  Basic care during labor and childbirth, including best practices such as use of the partograph, clean and safe childbirth, active management of third stage, and episiotomy and repair
  
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  Repair perineal and vaginal lacerations
  
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  Common discomforts
  
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  Special needs
  

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  Introduction to newborn care
  
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  Basic care of the newborn, including thermal protection, newborn resuscitation, Apgar scoring, eye care, early and exclusive breastfeeding, physical examination, and newborn immunization
  
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  Counseling danger signs
  

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  Physiologic and psychological changes in the puerperium
  
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  Introduction to postpartum care
  
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  Basic postpartum visit (complication readiness and dangers signs)
  
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  Common discomforts
  
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  Special needs, including malaria, anemia, HIV, gender-based violence
  

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  Principles safe drug administration
  
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  Principles drug interactions, side effects and contraindications (e.g. toxicity)
  
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  Calculations
  
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  Principles of prescribing and recording relating to midwifery practice
  
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  Drugs for Reproductive Health per essential drug list in Afghanistan
  

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  Understand medial terms in common use