Evaluating the long-term effectiveness of the Maternity Emergency Care course in remote Australia.
BACKGROUND
The Council for Remote Area Nurses of Australia deliver the MEC course which is the only short-course on maternity emergencies offered to non-midwifery qualified remote area nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers. The aim of the course is to improve the maternity emergency skills and knowledge of health service providers who do not have midwifery qualifications. There has been no long-term evaluation of the course since its inception.


OBJECTIVE
To review the longer-term effectiveness of the maternity emergency care (MEC) course which was developed in consultation with the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) and rural and remote practitioners in 2003.


METHODS
Fifty-seven clinicians who completed the MEC course since 2003 responded to a survey. Seven remote area health managers and two course facilitators were interviewed.


RESULTS
This study provides an evaluation of the experiences of non-midwives who manage maternity emergencies in the rural and remote setting; their perception of the skills, knowledge and confidence acquired through participation in the MEC program.


CONCLUSIONS
The MEC course is valued by both remote health managers and practitioners. The learning activities, skills and knowledge gained are reported to be very beneficial and used by remote health practitioners.
Belton
Suzanne
S
Graduate School for Health Practice, Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina Campus, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia. suzanne.belton@cdu.edu.au
Campbell
Marcel
M
Foxley
Sally
S
Hamerton
Bev
B
Gladman
Justin
J
McGrath
Sally
S
Piller
Neil
N
Saunders
Nathan
N
Vaughan
Fran
F
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000193:education*; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires