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Advance Nursing Practice 2018
J u n e 2 1 - 2 2 , 2 0 1 8
P a r i s , F r a n c e
Page 85
Journal of Nursing and Health Studies
ISSN 2574-2825
6
t h
I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n
Advance Nursing Practice
I
n many developing countries, specifically South Asian and Sub Saharan African settings, maternity care providers involved in intra
natal and postnatal care lack defined tasks, roles, and responsibilities. In Sri Lanka, members of the maternity care team, including
midwifery trained Registered Nurses (MTRNs) lack clearly demarcated professional boundaries with potential for interprofessional
conflicts which can threaten the safety of the mother and the baby. The aim of this study was to understand different health
professionals’ perceptions of the MTRNs role in intra-natal and postnatal settings. A descriptive qualitative study using focus group
discussions was conducted in theWestern province. Six focus groups were conductedwith 22MTRNs, 16midwives, and 07 Registered
Nurses altogether 45 participants. Data were analyzed using qualitative manifest content analysis method. The analysis comprised
of five main categories: initial care in the labor room (LR), pre-delivery care in the LR, care at the delivery, postpartum care in the LR
and postpartum care in the postnatal unit and respective sub categories. There were consensuses as well as disagreements regarding
the MTRN’s tasks and responsibilities. The strongest disagreements showed in tasks and responsibilities under the category of care
at delivery. Performing the delivery was the most contentious task in the LR as midwives felt this to be their sole responsibility and
not a duty of MTRNs. Different professional categories viewed MTRN’s tasks differently which manifests her role as complex and
unclear. Although most MTRNs’ tasks overlapped with other health care professionals of the maternity care team, the particularly
high overlap regarding delivery with midwives could lead and contribute to conflicts among health care professionals performing the
delivery. For promotion of inter professional collaboration, which is a prerequisite for high quality and safe maternity care delivery,
clearly demarcated professional boundaries for MTRNs through guidelines issued by the ministry of Health to clarify MTRN´s role is
therefore recommended.
sjayathilake@yahoo.comMidwifery trained Registered Nurses’ role in
intra and post natal units in tertiary care
hospitals in the Western province of Sri Lanka:
health professionals’ perceptions
M R S Jayathilake
1
, V Illesinghe
2
, P P R Perera
1
, H D Molligoda
3
and K Samarasinghe
4
1
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
2
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
3
Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo University, Sri Lanka
4
Kristianstad University, Sweden
J Nurs Health Stud 2018, Volume: 3
DOI: 10.21767/2574-2825-C3-009