Knowledge and attitudes of midwives on the use of the partogram: a study among midwives in the Tamale Metropolis.
BACKGROUND
The partogram is the most effective tool to use to monitor the progress of labour and complications associated with labour. The main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge level of midwives on the effective use of the partogram in monitoring the progress of labour in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana.


METHODS
This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on 140 midwives selected using random sampling technique from March to July, 2011.


RESULTS
The study revealed that all respondents had knowledge of the supposed use of the partogram. However, the study also identified inadequate knowledge on the proper use of the tool (as observation showed that some of the partogram sheets were inadequately filled). Inadequate knowledge, inadequate staffing (1.0 % of respondents) and extra workload on the few midwives (2.6 %) were some of the factors that militated against the effective use of the partogram. There were enough partogram sheets in the health facilities under study as 91.4 % of respondents had access to the partogram.


CONCLUSIONS
Midwives in Ghana know about the supposed use of partogram as a monitoring tool for labour; however inadequate knowledge on the proper use of the tool and inadequate staffing militated against effective use. We recommended constant refresher training on the use of the partogram and also training of more midwives to enhance effective utilisation of the partogram.
Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana.
Kennedy Diema
KD
Konlan
Department of Paediatrics, University for Development Studies, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tamale, Ghana.
Joseph M
JM
Kombat
Department of Midwifery, University for Development Studies, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tamale, Ghana.
Mary Gifty
MG
Wuffele
Department of Nursing, University for Development Studies, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tamale, Ghana.
Milicent
M
Aarah-Bapuah
Labour: the processes in a woman (37 weeks gestation) for successful expulsion of the product of conception; Maternal complications: any untoward event, scenario or process that occurs to the mother with before, during and immediately after birth; Partogram: a graphical tool that is used to assess the progress of labour and to identify when interventions are necessary