Activities in the field
Midwives work in the field, right in the locality where our clients and our little clients come from. During activities in the field, midwives mainly engage in educational activities aimed at increasing health awareness. As part of these activities, they organize low-threshold individual and group activities, or support groups for girls and women.
An important part of activities in the field is monitoring the condition of the client, the mother after childbirth, the newborn or the child discharged after hospitalization. As part of cooperation with health care providers, midwives invite pregnant women and mothers with children to preventive medical examinations, mandatory vaccinations, or to the newborn clinic. Often, in an effort to overcome many barriers to access to health care, midwives accompany the client to the doctor.
Midwives are equipped with a blood pressure monitor, a thermometer, a scale for babies and other necessary aids, such as a mucus extractor, which is rarely available in a poor environment. The education and skills acquired, completion of the first aid and birthing course, make them valuable, life-saving, members of the community.
Activities in the hospital
During the working week, midwives work directly in the hospital environment, in the Svet Zdravia hospital in Spišská Nová Ves, in the gynecology-obstetrics and children’s department. They ensure contact between hospital staff and clients, provide help and support for newly admitted women and hospitalized children, and carry out educational and development activities.
Svet Zdravia is the main hospital in the region and a large part of the clientele comes from generationally poor backgrounds. In active cooperation with the project partner, the hospital Svet Zdravia Spišská Nová Ves, the activities of the midwives focus on direct support for clients and staff. Midwives translate from/to the Romani language, provide necessary information about hospitalization and help with administration, implement training activities for mothers with newborns, provide mental and peer-to-peer support and assistance.
If necessary, the midwives help the hospital staff to contact the mother or the family of the hospitalized child. By their presence and work in the hospital environment, midwives help the staff with daily tasks and create a safe space for patients. Through cooperation and active efforts, everyone – staff, clients and midwives – can break down cultural barriers and improve mutual dialogue and acceptance.
Education
One of the key activities of the project is a systematic, intensive, tailor-made educational program for midwives. The goal of education is building personal competencies and skills necessary for personal empowerment, as well as for project implementation.
Specialized trainings focused on health, parenting, pregnancy and newborn care allow midwives in the community to spread practical and trustworthy information, gradually build trust and network women and families, which further helps spread awareness.
In addition to specialized health topics, the midwives acquire skills and information during the entire implementation of the project, which can help them cope with challenges in the field with clients, as well as in their own lives, and last but not least, improve their position on the labor market.
