The Effect of Simulation-Based Educational Program on Maternity Nurses' Performance regarding Obstetrical Emergencies during Pregnancy

Context: Simulation-based nursing education is an increasingly and wide-spread preferred educational approach. It offers opportunities to acquire clinical skills and decision-making through various situational experiences.Aim: The research aimed to investigate the effect of simulation-based educational program on maternity nurses' performance regarding obstetrical emergencies during pregnancy. Methods: A quasi-experimental research (one group pre/post-test) design was adopted to fulfill the research aim. This research was conducted at the Clinical Obstetrics' Skill lab of the Faculty of Nursing, Benha University. Forty nurses were recruited (all nurses working at obstetrics and gynecology emergency department of Benha University Hospital at the time of collecting data). Three tools were used for data collection; a structured self-administered questionnaire, maternity nurses' attitude assessment scale, and maternity nurses' practices observational checklist. Results: showed a highly statistically significant improvement concerning maternity nurses' knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding obstetrical emergencies during pregnancy, immediate post-intervention, and at follow up phase compared to the pre-intervention phase (P ≤ 0.001). There was a positive, highly statistically significant correlation between total knowledge and total attitude and total practice scores at pre-intervention, immediate post-intervention, and at follow up phases (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The simulation-based educational program positively affected maternity nurses' performance regarding obstetrical emergencies during pregnancy. Simulation-based education regarding obstetrical emergencies during pregnancy is recommended for all nurses working at obstetrics and gynecology units

Effectiveness of Self-instructional Module on Knowledge and Remedial Practices Regarding Selected Minor Ailments Among Primigravida

Context: Most pregnant women complain of some degree of minor ailments that are not serious in themselves, but their presence decreases the mother's feeling of comfort and wellbeing, particularly among the primigravida.Aim: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the self-instructional module on knowledge and remedial practices regarding selected minor ailments among primigravida. Methods: A quasi-experimental design (one group pretest/posttest) was utilized to achieve the aim of this study—a purposive sample of 120 primigravida women. The study was carried out at the obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinic in Benha university hospital. Data were collected through four main tools: A self-administered questionnaire to assess women's characteristics and obstetrical history, a maternal knowledge assessment questionnaire; maternal health practices assessment questionnaire, and a women's satisfaction questionnaire. Results: showed that the mean age of the studied sample was 23.02±7.57 years. An improvement with highly statistically significant differences was observed in women's knowledge and remedial practices regarding minor ailments at the post-intervention phase compared to the pre-intervention phase at (p<0.001). The majority of pregnant women were satisfied after the implementation of the self-instructional module. There was a non-significant positive correlation between total knowledge and total healthy practices regarding minor ailments at the pre-intervention phase (P>0.05) while there was a highly positive statistical correlation between total knowledge and total healthy practices regarding minor ailments at the post-intervention phase (P≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The research hypotheses were supported, and the self-instructional module had a positive effect on the improvement of pregnant women's knowledge and, in turn, remedial practices after its implementation. Also, there was a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of minor ailments at the post-intervention phase compared to the pre-intervention phase in favor of post-intervention. The antenatal self-instructional module regarding minor ailments should be restructured and reviewed to meet up the health needs of pregnant women, particularly primigravida

Education and Social Protection Systems in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries. MEDPRO Technical Report No. 20/January 2013

This report assesses the current status of the education and social protection systems in 11 southern and eastern Mediterranean countries. It compares these countries using various education indicators and attempts to highlight the main differences in the social protection systems among the countries using qualitative analysis. The report finds that despite the differences among the countries, they share a common feature: when measured by the UN Development Programme’s Human Development Index (HDI), their inequality-adjusted values are significantly lower than their HDI values and ranks when not taking inequality into account. Nevertheless, significant improvements have been achieved in all the quantitative indicators for education, while the qualitative performance is still modest in the majority of the countries studied. As to the social protection aspect, the research reveals that various social protection programmes are being adopted in the 11 countries. As most of their financing is covered by government budgets, however, this places a high fiscal burden on them. Yet few of the countries (Turkey being the most notable) are trying to improve the sustainability of their social insurance schemes