“If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania
Introduction: To reduce maternal mortality in rural Tanzania, improving antenatal care remains an urgent priority. Therefore, the availability of qualified and motivated staff providing antenatal care is an essential precondition for high-quality maternal healthcare. However, it is still unclear whi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139120301098 |
| _version_ | 1819070531986522112 |
|---|---|
| author | Sandra van Pelt Karlijn Massar Lisette van der Eem Laura Shields-Zeeman John B.F. de Wit Robert A.C. Ruiter |
| author_facet | Sandra van Pelt Karlijn Massar Lisette van der Eem Laura Shields-Zeeman John B.F. de Wit Robert A.C. Ruiter |
| author_sort | Sandra van Pelt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: To reduce maternal mortality in rural Tanzania, improving antenatal care remains an urgent priority. Therefore, the availability of qualified and motivated staff providing antenatal care is an essential precondition for high-quality maternal healthcare. However, it is still unclear which factors affect the performance of healthcare workers in this setting, and what they perceive is necessary to improve the quality of antenatal care. The aim of this research was to identify factors that could, according to healthcare workers, improve their performance and thereby improve the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen healthcare workers of different education levels and from different health facilities in Magu District, Tanzania. Questions were asked about their experiences, opinions, and motivations related to the provision and quality of antenatal care, as well as their perceptions of the value of using an e-health application during consultations. Results: Healthcare workers possess a positive attitude towards antenatal care and acknowledge its importance. Despite the existing social pressure from both colleagues and clients to perform well, this study identified differences in the quality of antenatal care provision and the level of motivation between healthcare workers. In addition, participants felt capable of providing antenatal care but complained about the poor working conditions (e.g. lack of electricity, equipment or medication), and indicated a need for more training and better supervision. Furthermore, when asked whether an electronic clinical decision and support system could improve the quality of antenatal care and their working conditions, healthcare workers expressed a positive attitude towards such a system. Discussion: In order to change the status quo in antenatal care provision in Tanzania, attention should be paid to reducing the work challenges experienced by healthcare workers. This could be achieved through providing training opportunities, supportive leadership, and the improvement of physical working conditions, for example by the implementation of an electronic clinical decision and support system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T17:07:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-42285ab8935c4583bb080bd96288107b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-1391 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T17:07:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-42285ab8935c4583bb080bd96288107b2022-12-21T18:56:29ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences2214-13912020-01-0113100232“If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural TanzaniaSandra van Pelt0Karlijn Massar1Lisette van der Eem2Laura Shields-Zeeman3John B.F. de Wit4Robert A.C. Ruiter5Maastricht University, Department of Work and Social Psychology, P.O. Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands; Corresponding author.Maastricht University, Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht, The NetherlandsWoman Centered Care Project, A Project of the African Woman Foundation, Magu District, Mwanza Region, TanzaniaWoman Centered Care Project, A Project of the African Woman Foundation, Magu District, Mwanza Region, TanzaniaUtrecht University, Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, International Public Health, Utrecht, The NetherlandsMaastricht University, Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht, The NetherlandsIntroduction: To reduce maternal mortality in rural Tanzania, improving antenatal care remains an urgent priority. Therefore, the availability of qualified and motivated staff providing antenatal care is an essential precondition for high-quality maternal healthcare. However, it is still unclear which factors affect the performance of healthcare workers in this setting, and what they perceive is necessary to improve the quality of antenatal care. The aim of this research was to identify factors that could, according to healthcare workers, improve their performance and thereby improve the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen healthcare workers of different education levels and from different health facilities in Magu District, Tanzania. Questions were asked about their experiences, opinions, and motivations related to the provision and quality of antenatal care, as well as their perceptions of the value of using an e-health application during consultations. Results: Healthcare workers possess a positive attitude towards antenatal care and acknowledge its importance. Despite the existing social pressure from both colleagues and clients to perform well, this study identified differences in the quality of antenatal care provision and the level of motivation between healthcare workers. In addition, participants felt capable of providing antenatal care but complained about the poor working conditions (e.g. lack of electricity, equipment or medication), and indicated a need for more training and better supervision. Furthermore, when asked whether an electronic clinical decision and support system could improve the quality of antenatal care and their working conditions, healthcare workers expressed a positive attitude towards such a system. Discussion: In order to change the status quo in antenatal care provision in Tanzania, attention should be paid to reducing the work challenges experienced by healthcare workers. This could be achieved through providing training opportunities, supportive leadership, and the improvement of physical working conditions, for example by the implementation of an electronic clinical decision and support system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139120301098Antenatal careElectronic clinical decision and support systemHealthcare workersMaternal healthQuality of careTanzania |
| spellingShingle | Sandra van Pelt Karlijn Massar Lisette van der Eem Laura Shields-Zeeman John B.F. de Wit Robert A.C. Ruiter “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences Antenatal care Electronic clinical decision and support system Healthcare workers Maternal health Quality of care Tanzania |
| title | “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania |
| title_full | “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania |
| title_short | “If you don’t have enough equipment, you’re not going to provide quality services”: Healthcare workers’ perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania |
| title_sort | if you don t have enough equipment you re not going to provide quality services healthcare workers perceptions on improving the quality of antenatal care in rural tanzania |
| topic | Antenatal care Electronic clinical decision and support system Healthcare workers Maternal health Quality of care Tanzania |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139120301098 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandravanpelt ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania AT karlijnmassar ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania AT lisettevandereem ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania AT laurashieldszeeman ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania AT johnbfdewit ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania AT robertacruiter ifyoudonthaveenoughequipmentyourenotgoingtoprovidequalityserviceshealthcareworkersperceptionsonimprovingthequalityofantenatalcareinruraltanzania |