FIELD VISIT WITH PHM

Sanduni Dhanoddya Samarajeewa

25 August 2012

Post – 2

It was 25^th of August 2012.Another interesting day to get a new experience. On the day we were gathered for a field visit with Public Health Midwife. Selected area was the region of respective midwife who went with us. The scope of that visit was to inspect and learn about procedures for ante natal & post natal mothers.

                Initially we went to the PHM's office prior to the visit. At there, she was arranged her essential equipments such as tape, scissor, sterile cotton swabs, Thermos meter, stethoscope before going out. 

Also she taught us the way of arranging a PHM’s office. Following registers should maintain by a PHM.

1. Daily work register
2. Pregnant mother’s register
3. Monthly record of expected date of delivery
4. Birth & immunization register
5. Family planning monthly return
6. PHM – monthly return

Except above mentioned documents, family planning field reports, growth monitoring register and several registers should be there. Then she briefed us about all those documents.

Especially, there were 3 boxes on PHM’s table.

1. 
   Delivery set
2. Urine check kit
3. Postnatal box 
   
   

After all these we came out to start the visit. Initially we were supposed to visit a post natal mother. That was the PHM’s 2^nd day of first 10 days visit. PHM should complete at least 4 postnatal visits as mentioned below:

1.   From birth to 10 days  - 2 visits
2.   11 days to 28 days       - 1 visit
3.   29 days to 42 days       - 1 visit 
   
   
   
   

Then midwife introduced the mother and her history briefly. After that she examined the baby & cleaned the umbilicus. She also explicated the attachments, positioning and points to be remember while breast feeding with a demonstration of that mother.

   The PHM taught us the things we should examine considering to the baby according to the B part of CHDR.Then she started examining the mother. Following main examines she conducted before briefing to the mother regarding family planning and how to select the best method.

1.  General examination
2.  Breast examination
3.  Abdominal examination
4.  Vaginal examination

With that we came to the end of another wonderful journey with lots of knowledge.