Strengthening Preservice Midwifery Education in Ghana: Achievements and Phase 2 Expansion Plans

JHPIEGO and the United States Agency for International Development/Ghana, has now focused on strengthening preservice education for nurses and midwives who provide FP/reproductive health (RH) and safe motherhood services. The phased strategy will ultimately strengthen preservice classroom and clinical training components in all ten midwifery training schools (MTS) in Ghana. To clarify the needs of the training institutions and guide program planning, two needs assessments were conducted at the MTS in Kumasi and Koforidua. Assessment results shifted the focus of the assessments from data collection for program planning to a change intervention, where important stakeholders were informed of and motivated to make improvements in training programs. Program implementation consisted of 1) training of both clinical instructors (preceptors) and tutors in updated clinical knowledge and skills and in improved teaching and supervisory methods, and 2) introduction of competency-based training materials-the RH Classroom and Clinical Activity Guide for Training Midwives (known as the RH Guide). [publisher’s description]