title: Improvement and retention of emergency obstetrics and neonatal care knowledge and skills in a hospital mentorship program in Lilongwe, Malawi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether a hospital-based mentoring program could significantly increase short- and longer-term emergency obstetrics and neonatal care (EmONC) knowledge and skills among health providers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective before-and-after study, 20 mentors were trained using a specially-created EmONC mentoring and training program at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. The mentors then trained an additional 114 providers as mentees in the curriculum. Mentors and mentees were asked to complete a test before initiation of the training (Pre-Test), immediately after training (Post-Test 1), and at least 6 months after training (Post-Test 2) to assess written and practical EmONC knowledge and skills. Mean scores were then compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores increased significantly between the Pre-Test and Post-Test 1 for both written (n=134; difference 22.9%, P<0.001) and practical (n=125; difference 29.5%, P<0.001) tests. Scores were still significantly higher in Post-Test 2 than in the Pre-Test for written (n=111; difference 21.0%, P<0.001) and practical (n=103; difference 29.3%, P<0.001) tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A hospital-based mentoring program can result in both short- and longer-term improvement in EmONC knowledge and skills. Further research is required to assess whether this leads to behavioral changes that improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; University of North Carolina Project-Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi. Electronic address: jennifer_tang@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaliti
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Project-Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bengtson
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Sumera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayat
authors.affiliation: Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Eveles
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chimala
authors.affiliation: Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi; The Rose Project, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaliti
authors.affiliation: Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sisya
authors.affiliation: Maternity Unit, Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi; Lilongwe District Health Office, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Mwawi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mwale
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; University of North Carolina Project-Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008295:Malawi; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education*; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Emergency obstetrics; Malawi; Mentoring; Sub-Saharan Africa; Training