Improving Health Care among Postnatal Mothers: A Focus on Midwifery in Hospitals

Abstract

The care provided by midwives to women, babies and their families is of utmost importance to society. In Africa generally, midwives are key professionals in ensuring that women have a safe and emotionally satisfying experience during their pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Patient satisfaction is a good measure that can assist midwives plan and execute midwifery care delivery properly (Jangsten, 2005). To improve health care, health workers need feedback from those they care for, so as to tailor their care based on the needs of their clients. Furthermore, quality can best be achieved through planned set of actions designed to provide the end-user with the product they expect. The best way to assure quality in midwifery care, is to hear from the recipients of that care; who are women in this case.

This study was aimed at assessing women's satisfaction or otherwise with midwifery care at Meru level 5 hospital. An exploratory descriptive design was employed during the study. Post natal women who had had normal delivery were selected purposively to participate. In total, 15 post natal women who met the inclusion criteria participated in the  study. In-depth interviews were used to gather verbal information from the participants at their homes. Each interview was tape-recorded with consent from the participants. After the study, information or lack of it came out as a key determinant of satisfaction with midwifery care or otherwise. Also antenatal education on the women's rights and expectations during labour need to be strengthened to empower them to ask for services.  Further, women in labour need to be admitted for close monitoring.

Keywords: Health Care, Postnatal Mothers, Midwives, Antenatal care.