ZUNO E- NEWSLETTER/ Monthly Issue# 19 March 2017

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On March 31st 2017, the Safer Surgery

Saves Lives pilot project, a partnership between the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation (ZUNO) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) funded by the Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET) under the United Kingdom Department For International Development came to a close.

The Safer Surgery Saves Lives pilot project, aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of theatre teams in the use of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Surgical Checklist in their work, commenced in April 2015.

Between July 2015 and February 2017, ZUNO conducted eleven training sessions in the two pilot sites (Lusaka and Kabwe) reaching a total of 296 different categories of staff.

Speaking at the event to mark the close of the project and dissemination of the evaluation report, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Health Services Dr Jabbin Mulwanda in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Director Nursing Services Mrs Emily Chipaya noted that

safety is an essential element of health-care provision and even more so in the area of surgery.

Dr Mulwanda said recognizing the importance of surgical care, the Zambian government has stayed committed to improving operating theatres across the country.

And RCN Chief Executive Janet Davis noted that national nurse organisations have a huge role to play in improving patient care and population health across the world. Ms Davis disclosed that RCN will be continuing to work with ZUNO into phase II in rolling-out the program further and consolidate it.

ZUNO President Mr Liseli Sitali called on theatre staff, hospital management, Members of Parliament and other political leaders, relevant government institutions and the media to play a role in advocating for safer surgery and ensuring that it is a norm in Zambia.

And Zambia operating theatre nurses interest group (ZOTNIG) Chairperson Ms Judith Munthali noted that the project has helped strengthen peri-operative nursing professionalism through the use

and implementation of the WHO safe surgery tool adding that the gains from the Safer Surgery Saves Lives pilot project should be sustained.

The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist is a 19 item tool developed after extensive consultation aiming to decrease errors and

adverse events, and increase teamwork and communication among surgical teams.

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Also In this issue ARC holds 2nd learning session

in Kigali

Call for increased awareness and implementation of the new Gender Equity and Equality ACT

Clinical audit reveals increased use of the partogragh among midwives in Zambia

Chreso University School of Nursing Cultural Group presenting the report to Ministry of Health Deputy Director Nursing Services Mrs Chipaya and ZUNO General Secretary Mr Michelo during the official closing of the Safer Surgery Saves Lives Pilot Project at Cresta Golf View Hotel in Lusaka© ZUNO

ZUNO/RCN Safe Surgery Saves Lives Pilot Project comes to a close.

ZUNO E- NEWSLETTER | Monthly Issue#19 MARCH 2017 PAGE2

The African Health Professions Regional Collaborative for Nurses and

Midwives (ARC) held its second learning session from 21 -23 March 2017 in Kigali Rwanda.

The 10 countries that attended are: Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The purpose of the meeting, was to strengthen the ability of nursing and midwifery leaders to successfully implement, monitor, and evaluate national quality improvement projects.

Speaking during the meeting Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation executive secretary Jill Iliffe encouraged the participants to continue applying and upskilling their knowledge in project management

All the four pillars of nursing and midwifery, that is Administration, Education, Professional, and Regulatory were represented to as issues specific to their area of responsibility were discussed.

The third learning session will be held in Lusaka Zambia from 6-8 July 2017. The first learning session was held in Entebbe Uganda 7-9 November 2016.

ARC works across eighteen (18) countries in sub-Saharan Africa to facilitate nurse- and midwife-led HIV care for pregnant women and children; improve the quality of nursing practice; and enhance national nursing policy and regulation.

ARC is funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and implemented by Emory University School of Nursing in partnership with the Lillian Carter Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility at Emory University, the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation, and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community.

ARC representatives from Zambia after receiving their certificates during the ARC meeting in Kigali, Rwanda

ARC holds 2nd learning session in Kigali Call for increased awareness and implementation of the new

Gender Equity and Equality ACT

On March 8th 2017 Zambia Union of Nurses

Organisation (ZUNO) joinedt the rest of Zambia in observing the International Women’s Day under the theme “Promoting inclusiveness in economic participation as a means of attaining sustainable development.”

Zambia’s Republican President Mr Edgar Lungu graced the event calling for practical measures in promoting women empowerment in Zambia. Mr Lungu said this would be possible through creating awareness and implementing the new Gender Equity and Equality ACT, 2015.

The President noted that the Act is aimed at promoting gender equity and equality as a cross cutting issue in all spheres of life while seeking to stimulate productive resources and opportunities for both men and women.

Internationally, International Women's Day 2017, focused on the theme #BeBoldForChange.

The theme is a call to help forge a better working world - a more gender inclusive world in 2017 and beyond.

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ZUNO E- NEWSLETTER | Monthly Issue#19 MARCH 2017 PAGE3

A recent Clinical audit conducted at University Teaching Hospital

for Women and New- Born and Mansa General Hospital has revealed that the number of Midwives who are able to use the partograph is improving, but that some midwives still do not pay attention to it.

A partograph, which is an essential tool for decision making, is a graphical record of the observations made of a women in labour.

The audit was conducted by Lugina Africa Midwives Research Network (LAMRN) Zambia which is part of a regional LAMRN grouping aimed at improving and increasing midwifery research and evidence-based midwifery practice in the Eastern, Central and Southern African region.

The clinical audit conducted at the two hospitals from 2015, to determine the level of knowledge and practices that skilled attendants had on utilization of the partograph, also revealed that utilization of the partograph is a challenge.

While at least 95% of midwives in labor ward are expected to be able to plot the partograph correctly, the initial audit indicated that only 7.5% of the skilled attendants were able to interpret and plot correctly on the partograph. 47.5% of the skilled attendants failed to plot on the partograph and 45% did not attempt to plot on the partograph. However, when the re-audit was conducted it revealed a significant improvement. The percentage number of the skilled attendants who were able to interpret and plot correctly on the partograph rose above the standard to 95.5 %.

The initial audit further indicated that only 29.5 % of midwives monitored and recorded foetal heart every 30 minutes, 65.9% did not monitor and record foetal heart rate every 30 minutes, while 4.6% gave Intrauterine Fetal Death (which refers to the death of a baby in the uterus, during pregnancy and before birth) as the reason for not monitoring and recording foetal heart rate every 30 minutes. When the re-audit was done however, the percentage rose to 70.5%.

Table indicating standard and performance gap: audit & re-audit

Fig.1

The clinical audit revealed that there are some factors that are hindering the use of the partograph among skilled attendants which include unavailability of partographs, attending to emergencies or simply no attempt to use it.

Factors hindering the use of the partograph among skilled attendants (n=40)

Fig.2

Discussing the recommendations during the audit findings dissemination meeting held in Lusaka from 23rd to 24th March 2017, the meeting endorsed the need to ensure that midwives adhere to WHO prescribed 5 year in-service training on partograph. The meeting further recommended a roll out training on partograph utilization and the need to integrate auditing in the nursing curriculum.

LAMRN plans to conduct a re-audit December 2017 and intends to integrate the audit in the 2017-2021 Ministry Of Health strategic plan so that audit is budgeted for as hospital activities.

The Clinical audit was conducted to improve quality of care by providing decision makers with evidence based practice needed to improve maternal and new-born health.

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A midwife providing Antenatal care to a pregnant women

Clinical audit reveals increased use of the partogragh among midwives in Zambia

ZUNO E- NEWSLETTER/ Monthly Issue# 19 March 2017

P A G E | 4

ZUNO Membership is open to nurses and midwives

registered with the General Nursing Council of Zambia (GNCZ), and employed both in the public and private sectors.

Members have the opportunity of advancing their career through ZUNO membership, as the organisation creates an effective platform for networking and capacity building with local and international stakeholders.

Benefits include;

a) Professional

i. Continuous Professional Development

(CPD)

ii. Career guidance and navigation

iii. Access to professional information and

research activities

iv. Participation in professional conferences

v. Lobbying, advocacy and networking

vi. Representation on MOH,GNCZ & PSMD

committees

b) Socio-economic

i. Negotiations on improved conditions of

service (Collective bargaining)

ii. Lobbying & advocacy

iii. Counsel on Financial management

iv. ZUNO Membership souvenirs

c) Caring for Carers

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ii. Support groups

iii. Funeral support

iv. Orphan Education support

v. Psycho-social counseling

d) Legal

i. Protection against discrimination and

mistreatment in places of work

ii. Professional Legal Counsel and support

Discover the benefits of being a ZUNO member

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The General Secretary

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QUOTE

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