Assessing quality of documentation and interpretation of obstetric ultrasound scan performed by midwives at St Martins Hospital and Namwera Health Centre in Mangochi District
Abstract
A cross-sectional study design and will employ quantitative method. Quantitative data will be
obtained from routine data thus registers and health passport books of women that received obstetric
ultrasound scanning services done by midwives. The sample size 220.
Quality of care delivered during antenatal affects the health outcome of both the mother and the
baby being expected. The introduction of ultrasound scanning services in antenatal clinic is
believed to improve both maternal and fetal outcome as ultrasound scan (USS) helps in diagnosis
of fetal viability and anomalies, identification of high risk factors such as low lying placenta,
determination of gestational age and estimation of date of delivery which helps the mother to plan
for delivery in time. World Health Organization recommended that USS should be done in all
pregnant mothers before 24 weeks gestation and that midwives can provide the ultrasound USS
services. In midwifery practice documentation is very important as it gives a proof of recording
and reporting of the care or intervention done. When a midwife has performed an USS, it is
expected that the findings should be documented in the register and health passport book. This
report will help the next provider to know the findings and help in the plan of care. Therefore, this
study seeks to assess quality of documentation and interpretation of obstetrics ultrasound scan
performed by midwives at St Martin’s hospital and Namwera health centre in Mangochi district.
Methodology
This will be a cross - sectional study design using quantitative methods. Data will be collected
using routine data collection tools, USS register and ANC mother’s health passport book. Data will
be analyzed using excel. Ethical approval will be sought from Kamuzu University of Health
Sciences’ College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee (COMREC).
Expected findings and dissemination
The researcher is expected to find poor documentation based on other studies in Africa and Malawi
related to documentation practice by nurses (1) (2). However there can be a change as this study is
assessing documentation practice in relation to ultrasound services since it is a new intervention
provided by midwives hey may be motivated to document. The research findings will be presented
to Mangochi DHO, Peers at School of Public Health, KUHeS and COMREC. Oral presentation at
Consortium for Ultrasound Imaging in Malawi and be published in journal