Determine of the Knowledge Regarding Placenta examination of Nurses/Midwives Who Taking Care of the mother at Maternity Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani City

Abstract

Background: The placenta is made up of maternal and fetal tissue, with fetal tissue accounting for around a fifth of the placenta at term. Because the placenta reflects disease in both the mother and the fetus, it should be checked, it means accurate observation and examination of the placenta after it is expulsion for their completeness are of critical, immediate importance in the delivery room. Aim: To assess the level of knowledge of nurses/ midwives who were taking care of maternal during and after delivery, regarding the placenta and how to examine the placenta. Method: A descriptive-analytic study was applied at a Maternity Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani City, from August 2021 to December 2021. A purposive convenience sample consists of (87) nurses/ midwives who were working in the delivery room, Postpartum ward, and theater room (emergency – cold cases) with different qualifications, and years of experience. A structured interviewing questionnaire; includes two parts socio-demographic characteristics of the participant Nurses and Midwives and an assessment sheet of the nurses’ knowledge regarding the placental examination. Result: Findings indicate that; over half, 57.5% of Nurses/Midwives who participated in the current study had inadequate knowledge, 36.8% of them had moderate knowledge and only 5.7% had adequate knowledge regarding the placenta and how to examine it. Conclusion: The current study concluded that the participants have poor knowledge of the structure and function of the placenta, as well as how to examine the placenta after delivery, due to a lack of continuing education programs.