References
Lack of evidence-based maternal care practices in a governmental hospital in the middle region of Jordan
Abstract
Background
In Jordan, there is an overuse of treatments that were originally designed to manage complications of labour and birth.
Aim
To explore the reasons for the non-application of evidence-based practices in maternal care in a Jordanian governmental hospital from the healthcare professionals' perspective.
Methods
A descriptive qualitative method was employed in one selected Jordanian governmental hospital. Data were collected by conducting one-to-one, semi-structured interviews with 11 participants, which were subjected to a thematic and content analysis.
Findings
There were four main themes: limited human, financial, infrastructural resources and hospital environment; midwives are not autonomous; lack of motivation to apply evidence-based practices; and socio-cultural pressures hinder the usage of new evidence-based practices.
Conclusion
There is a weak application of evidence-based practices in maternal care in a governmental hospital in Jordan. So, it is important to modify maternal healthcare policy to allow greater midwife autonomy, and raise awareness of maternal evidence-based practice.
The healthcare system in Jordan is well developed, and access to healthcare facilities is generally widespread (Ministry of Health [MOH], 2018). Nevertheless, the practice of maternal care in Jordan is still not evidence-based (Khresheh et al, 2009). A previous Jordanian study that examined maternity hospital practices during childbirth and assessed their consistency with evidence-based maternity care practices focused specifically on six practices that were undertaken during labour. These practices were augmentation of labour, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, support in labour, episiotomy, position for birth, and administration of oral fluids during labour (Shaban et al, 2011).
The most important results reported by Shaban et al (2011) were that many of the common childbirth practices that were routinely followed in maternity hospitals in Jordan were not evidence-based. Moreover, not only the beneficial practices were neglected but also the practices of unproven benefit or practices that were potentially harmful were performed. Overall, the study concluded that childbirth practices that were used to assist women in labour were largely inconsistent with the evidence-based practices for normal birth recognised and recommended by the World Health Organization ([WHO], 2018).
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