Background Perinatal mortality remains high globally and remains an important indicator of the quality of a health care system. To reduce this mortality, it is important to provide the recommended care during the perinatal period. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with appropriate perinatal care (antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum) in Bunyoro region, Uganda. Results from this study provide valuable information on the perinatal care services and highlight areas of improvement for better perinatal outcomes. Methods A cross sectional survey was conducted among postpartum mothers attending care at three district hospitals in Bunyoro. Following consent, a questionnaire was administered to capture the participants’ demographics and data on care received was extracted from their antenatal, labour, delivery, and postpartum records using a pre-tested structured tool. The care received by women was assessed against the standard protocol established by World Health Organization (WHO). Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to assess factors associated with appropriate postpartum care. Results A total of 872 mothers receiving care at the participating hospitals between March and June 2020 were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the mothers was 25 years (SD = 5.95). None of the mothers received appropriate antenatal or intrapartum care, and only 3.8% of the participants received appropriate postpartum care. Factors significantly associated with appropriate postpartum care included mothers being >35 years of age (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 11.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.8–51.4) and parity, with low parity (2–3) and multiparous (>3) mothers less likely to receive appropriate care than prime gravidas (aPR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.9 and aPR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.1–0.8 respectively). Conclusions Antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care received by mothers in this region remains below the standard recommended by WHO, and innovative strategies across the continuum of perinatal care need to be devised to prevent mortality among the mothers. The quality of care also needs to be balanced for all mothers irrespective of the age and parity.

Background: Globally, 50% of maternal deaths and 40% of neonatal deaths occur within 24 hours of birth, notably in developing countries. (Khanal et al, 2014). The provision of postnatal care in Uganda is low: only 2% of mothers are reported to have received a postnatal checkup within one hour. Objective: To assess and improve the provision of postnatal care within the first 6 hours of birth. Methods: A criteria-based audit was carried out by retrospectively evaluating 400 case records, to observe practice in the immediate postnatal period against agreed standards. Results: Findings demonstrated that standards were infrequently met, and that assessment of the mother after admission to the postnatal ward was also found to be low. Selected interventions were introduced, and a re-audit 2 months later revealed significant improvements in the delivery of postnatal care for both mothers and babies. Findings: Criteria-based audit is a feasible quality improvement strategy, and the identification of simple interventions registered remarkable improvement, which is essential for quality postnatal care within the first 6 hours of birth.

Background: Academic staff shortages exist in training institutions within the developed and developing world. Mentoring is thought to enhance teachers' competencies, strengthen social abilities, and promote learning and career development; however, not much is known about mentoring in developing countries and its impact on nursing academia. The aim of this literature review was to explore existing evidence on the impact of mentoring on nurse and midwifery teaching competencies and students' learning and social abilities, and the prerequisites for establishing an effective mentoring program. Methodology: A comprehensive literature search was performed using HINARI, PubMed, SAGE, WILEY, Science direct, Google scholar, and Google search. Hand searching was too done through bibliographies to identify related articles. Results were screened to select studies that reported benefits and challenges of mentoring to nurse and midwifery educators, student nurses and midwives, and successful mentoring programs. After screening, a total of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed and analysed. Results: Senior faculty mentoring junior faculty provides or enhances accomplishments of some nurse educator core competencies, provides opportunities to develop teaching knowledge base, and promotes exposure to required resources for growth in the teaching career. It further stimulates personal and social growth. Mentored student nurses and midwives experience reduced anxiety, and mentoring provides a supportive learning environment and increased self-awareness of one's own values and beliefs, confidence, maturity and responsibility. Lack of time, dual responsibility, heavy workload, personality, and attitude may negatively impact the mentoring process. An effective mentoring program requires a relevant mentoring model and clear definitions of its context, structure, and goals. Conclusion: Mentoring has the potential to strengthen teaching competencies as well as students' learning and professional growth.

Background: Nurses and midwives’ contribution to the health workforce is commended globally. Continuous professional guidelines for nurses and midwives are in place to enhance life-long learning. However, literature on Work-Based Learning in healthcare settings is limited. It is important to document evidence on how nurses learn at their places of work to strengthen life-long learning. Aim: To identify existing evidence on the process, structure and contribution of WBL to nursing or health care outcomes. Design: we used scoping review approach. Data sources: EBSCOhost, Wiley Online University, and Science Direct. Google was used as a general search engine. Review Methods: Screening was by reading abstracts and full texts. Contextualization and thematic analysis were employed. The John Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice appraisal tools were used to determine the level and quality of evidence. Results: A total of 14 articles were reviewed. Identifying the problem, assessing the environment, having a learning action plan and documentation are key steps for WBL. A positive workplace culture, collaboration between the learner, organization, regulation and education institutions in addition to learning resources make a strong structure for WBL. Individual and institutional growth and visibility that contribute to improved quality of care are outcomes of WBL. Conclusion: The literature reviewed suggests that nurses ought to engage in a step wise process for effective WBL. Efficient collaboration between the learner, workplace, education and regulatory institutions are needed to support WBL. WBL plays an important role in improving nursing and health care outcomes.

Background: Uganda has a high neonatal mortality rate (27 per 1,000 live births), with birth asphyxia as one of the major contributor. Helping babies breathe (HBB) is an evidence-based program that aims to reduce neonatal mortality in resource-limited settings. Successful resuscitation depends on nurses’ and midwives’ knowledge and skills in neonatal resuscitation, and access to functional neonatal resuscitation equipment. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge and skills retention in neonatal resuscitation after HBB training among nurses and midwives, and the state/availability of neonatal resuscitation equipment. Methods: This study used a cross sectional design. Participants were 75 nurses and midwives from two hospitals in Central Uganda. Data were collected using questionnaires and observation checklists. Ethics approval was obtained from the Uganda Christian University and the research and ethics committees of the two hospital hospitals. Results: Nurses and midwives showed a high level of knowledge (92%). However, neonatal resuscitation skills among 44 observed participants were poor, as 68.2% failed to check equipment and select the correct mask and 45.5% did not make a firm seal when applying the mask. In addition, about 72% of participants did not ventilate at a rate of 40 breaths per minute, and 18.2% failed to assess chest movement. Observation of 44 resuscitations to evaluate the state/availability of neonatal resuscitation equipment showed that 27.3% did not have a suction device, 59.1% did not have a heat source/pre-warmed towels to warm the babies, 50% did not have appropriate self-inflating bags and masks for term and preterm babies, 72.7% had no clock/watch to count heart rate and determine the length of time ventilation was required, and 36.4% did not document that resuscitation was performed. Conclusions: To address Uganda’s neonatal mortality rate, it is necessary to implement regulatory policies for neonatal resuscitation, building nurses and midwives skills for active interventions during neonatal resuscitation as well as regular refresher courses to enhance skills. Key words: helping babies breathe (HBB), neonatal resuscitation, knowledge, skills and equipment