Feasibility of training Zambian nurse–midwives to perform postplacental and postpartum insertions of intrauterine devices

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of competency-based training of Zambian nurse-midwives in postplacental and postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) insertion and to estimate learning curves for this procedure. METHODS: A pilot service-delivery project was conducted involving 9 nurse-midwives who participated in a 10-day PPIUD insertion training course at the University Teaching Hospital Lusaka Zambia. US and Zambian clinicians taught the didactic and practical curriculum. Checklists were used for standardization and a pelvic model was developed to achieve PPIUD insertion competency in the classroom before moving to clinical practice. Patients were recruited during prenatal visits in early labor and postpartum. Informed voluntary consent was obtained. All clinical PPIUD insertions were supervised or performed by experienced trainers. RESULTS: All 9 nurse-midwives achieved competency on the pelvic model after 3 attempts. During the training period 38 PPIUDs were inserted in postpartum women; no complications occurred. By the end of training 4 of the nurse-midwives were deemed competent to independently insert PPIUDs. On average 4 PPIUD insertions were needed to achieve clinical competency. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrated competency-based training in PPIUD insertion is feasible in an African setting. Replication of such training could increase the popularity and prevalence of PPIUD use among African women. Copyright (c) 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.