Iliya Aishatu
Registered Nurse Midwife in charge of the Antenatal Clinic (ANC) and the Maternity Unit at Katari Primary Health Centre, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Years in the role: One year and a half
Training received through the LSTM Global Fund program:
• Quality Improvement – 2021
• Quality Improvement (QI) Master Trainers – 2021
• ANC/PNC – 2022
• Mentorship – 2022
How the training has informed the delivery of your day-to-day services
The training has played an essential role in my day-to-day services. Any service I render is an act from the point of the training. I constantly remind myself to render services based on the training I received, not as I used to. Most significantly, the ANC/PNC training was a complete refresher of my professional skills as a midwife.
How the training benefitted you in terms of your professional development
The training has enhanced my practice as a midwife in providing quality care to my expectant mothers, from antenatal care (ANC) to labour and postnatal care (PNC).
Elements of the training you received that were new to you
The standards-based audit cycle (StBA) for quality improvement was new. Although emphasis had been placed on improving the quality of care several times, there was no guidance or way of doing it. Many of us assumed we were changing; we were improving, we were not. But now, with the audit cycle, which allows us to measure our performance, it is straightforward.
Feedback received from the users of the services you provide since the training
I have received positive feedback from my clients, mentors, and colleagues. We identified a standard which says, "All pregnant women are provided with information on self-care for common discomfort during pregnancy." I loved the standard and decided to audit it. During health talk sessions with my clients, I make sure I inform them on how to tackle some discomfort without the use of drugs, which some try and as a result, realise a positive effect. During their subsequent visits, they appreciate that it worked for them.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the collaborative learning process with my mentees. We constantly share knowledge and improve our practices, creating a supportive community. For instance, I had a mentee who was a Nurse with little experience in palpation. Through mentoring, she has grown to become a ‘midwife by practice,’ as she often says. This transformation and her acknowledgement of me as her mentor is gratifying.
Changes in the quality of services offered since the training
As the in charge of the ANC Clinic and Maternity Unit, I lead by example and do what I expect my subordinates to do, even in my absence.