2019 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 72-81
Purpose
The aim of this study was to describe evaluation of the Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC) seminar with regard to: 1) hand washing technique, 2) knowledge test, and 3) practical skills in childbirth and neonatal care before and after teaching facilitators to coach midwives and nurses in developing countries.
Methods
The four-day EENC seminar was held in October 2016. We invited 2 instructors from the World Health Organization/Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO WPRO) to coach healthcare workers became a leader in the future, and practiced EENC at own facilities in developing countries and Japanese healthcare workers who would be working in developing countries. The main program contents were the evaluation of care techniques: hand washing technique, pre-post test of knowledge on EENC, practical skills of childbirth, neonatal care, and resuscitation.
Result
There were 18 participants (5 in developing countries, 13 in Japan) and 15 participated in both pre-test and post-test. Pre-/post-evaluation of hand washing technique indicated decreased contamination at post-test. The mean knowledge test scores increased from about 60% at the pre-test to over 90% at the post-test. During the skill practice, participants were separated into 3 groups, 6 participants each, and repeatedly carried out the skills in role plays. As for performance, all participants scored more than 90% at the post-test.
Conclusion
After the seminar, hand washing techniques improved, and the knowledge and performance scores became over 90%. Because the knowledge and skills gained in short-term education may diminish over time, it is important to devise a plan that ensures the continuation of training facilitators in each targeted developing country and longitudinal follow-up.
We need to consider practicing EENC seminar and developing adequate number of facilitators so that they can provide coaching in their own countries and longitudinal follow-up.
