Postgraduate Specialization Degree in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing

The Postgraduate Specialization Degree in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing (CPLE-ESMO) aims to train nurses with the skills, knowledge, and ability to provide specialized care in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing.

PURPOSE OF THE DEGREE

The CPLE-ESMO aims to train nurses who, in their area of study and within their professional skills, have the following:

a)     A level of knowledge and ability to understand more developed and in-depth than the Undergraduate Degree in Nursing;

b)    A level of knowledge and ability to understand able to base the development of original applications, namely in a research context

c)     The ability to apply knowledge and understand and solve problems in new and unfamiliar situations, in broad and multidisciplinary contexts

d)    The ability to integrate knowledge, deal with complex issues, develop solutions or make judgments in situations of limited or incomplete information, including reflections on the ethical and social implications and responsibilities that result from or condition these solutions and judgments;

e)     The skills to engage in lifelong learning in a fundamentally self-directed and autonomous manner.

f)     The ability to analyze projects and policies in the area of sexual and reproductive health at national, European, and international levels;

g)    The ability to contribute to the development of the professional identity and autonomy of Nurse Specialists in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing;

and can

h)    participate in projects and the definition of health policies, specifically in the area of sexual and reproductive health;

PROFILE OF COMPETENCIES TO BE DEVELOPED

Upon completing the program and according to Regulation 122/2011 of the Portuguese Nursing Regulator (Ordem dos Enfermeiros) regarding the general competencies of Nurse Specialists and Regulation 127/2011 regarding the specific competencies of the Nurse Specialists in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing, nurses should be able to:

•  Promote sexual and reproductive health through health education and train educators in this field;
•  Conduct the health monitoring of the woman/family during pregnancy, labor, and puerperium;
•  Perform the eutocic childbirth, with or without episiotomy and perineorrhaphy
•  Act in emergencies, namely in pelvic labor, manual removal of the placenta, and uterine revision
•  Ensure specialized nursing care to women and families during the reproductive cycle;
•  Promote women’s health throughout the reproductive cycle, encouraging their self-care and co-responsibility in the family’s health project;
•  Provide specialized nursing care to women with Gynecological and Obstetrical pathologies.
•  Provide nursing care to normal and risk newborns, including resuscitation if necessary.
•  Develop research and intervention projects within the scope of Maternal and Obstetric Health Nursing.
•  Contribute to the development of the professional identity and autonomy of Nurse Specialists in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing;
•  Participate in health projects and policies, specifically in sexual and reproductive health.

CURRICULAR STRUCTURE

The course has 90 ECTS and is organized in three semesters, combining the theoretical, clinical practice, and research dimensions.

The activities consist of theoretical, theoretical-practical, and laboratory classes in the first semester. In the second semester, students will do an internship in addition to theoretical, theoretical-practical, and laboratory classes.

The first and only semester has an internship course in the second year.

The scientific areas and credits needed to obtain the diploma are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 - Scientific areas and credits to obtain the diploma 

   DEGREE ORGANIZATION

   The CPLE-ESMO is organized and managed by the Scientific-Pedagogical Unit (SPU) of Maternal Health, Obstetric, and Gynecological Nursing of the ESEnfC. Nevertheless, to maintain its standards of high quality and constant update, the following will participate as invited faculty:

• Teachers from other scientific and pedagogical units of the ESEnfC;
• Nurse specialists in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing, working in different clinical contexts and with recognized development of the specialty;
•  Other health professionals who can contribute to the trainees’ scientific development.