Masters in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing

1. To analyse in a critical manner historical development, as well as the problems which emerge and trends in
maternal health and obstetrical nursing, taking into account professional ethical and deontological aspects, as well
as Portuguese legislation on maternity/paternity protection.
2. To identify embryonic and foetal development in the context of prenatal health care and prenatal diagnosis.
3. To understand the adaptations of the maternal organism and psycho-social adaptation in the prenatal, delivery
and postpartum periods along with the search for culturally sensitive care.
4. To justify the importance of prenatal surveillance in the context of maternal-foetal quality of life.
5. To describe the aspects and physiology of labour and birth.
6. To identify psychopathological disorders that can occur during the pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum
periods. To design nursing care promoting health for the woman/couple and family during the pregnancy, labour
and postpartum periods.

1 - INTRODUCTION TO MATERNAL HEALTH AND OBSTETRICAL NURSING I
2 - CARE FOR THE WOMAN/COUPLE/FAMILY IN THE PRECONCEPTION AND PRENATAL PERIOD
3 - CARE FOR THE WOMAN/COUPLE/FAMILY IN THE LABOUR AND BIRTH PERIOD
4 - CARE FOR THE WOMAN/COUPLE/FAMILY IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD
5 - ASSISTANCE TO THE WOMAN/FAMILY WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS DURING THE PREGNANCY,
LABOUR AND PUERPERIUM PERIODS

To achieve objective 1, course contents 1 are considered.
To achieve objective 2, course contents from chapter 2 are considered.
To achieve objectives 3 and 5, course contents from chapter 3 are considered.
To achieve objective 4, course contents from chapter 4 are considered.
To achieve objective 6, course contents from chapter 5 are considered.

Considering the student as the centre of the teaching/learning process, methods and strategies will be proposed which are suitable to attain the defined learning objectives, particularly: in the lectures and interactive expositional method; in the theoretical-practical classes problem solving work records.
The resources are those which the ESEnfC provides for students, in addition to the teaching staff made up of teachers who are specialists in this area.
Test evaluation: this will involve the taking of a written test after which the correction grid will be presented, on a scale of 0 to 20 points.
Exam(s) evaluation: Written exam. An exam in the first sit period, an exam in the resit period and an exam the special period in accordance with ESEnfC's regulation of attendance and evaluation.

It is intended that at the end of the curricular unit, students are familiar with topics related to Maternal Health and Obstetrical Nursing I and can show knowledge about the different course contents and are able to critically analyse the actions of nurses in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing, particularly regarding the provision of culturally sensitive health care to the woman/couple/family during the pregnancy, labour, childbirth and postpartum periods.
In this way, it is intended that they acquire a corpus of theoretical and theoretical-practical knowledge and develop skills of understanding the different focuses of attention within maternal/foetal, perinatal, postpartum health and obstetric complications resulting from puerperal pathophysiology to enable future specialist nurses in the area of
Maternal Health and Obstetrical Nursing to ensure adequate provision of care to the woman/couple and family within normal and risky labour, childbirth, postpartum periods, and to newborn and breastfeeding infants in low-risk situations.The aspects mentioned above will include early detection of psychological disorders in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle.
As well as primary sources, secondary sources are used as documental support in the lectures in the form of current reference articles, based on the different themes, to encourage students to carry out critical analysis and
reflection regarding the current state-of-the-art and the use of evidence-based practice. Of equal emphasisis documentation underlying the carrying out of a specialist area such as: Directive 80/155/EEC of the Council, of 21
January (Official Journal No. L 033 of 11/02/1980), transposed to Portuguese legislation by Decree-Law No. 322/87 of 28 August altered by Decree-Law No. 15/92 of 4 February; Directive 2005/36/EC, of 7 September, Chapter III,
Section 6, Article 40, Paragraph 3; the study regarding the Specific Skills of Nurses Specialising in Maternal Health and Obstetrics, drawn up by the Specialist Committee in Maternal Health and Obstetrical Nursing (SCNursing in Maternal Health and Obstetrics) of the Portuguese Nurses Association (Ordem dos Enfermeiros - OE), the Portuguese Association of Obstetric Nurses (Associação Portuguesa dos Enfermeiros Obstetras - APEO),
including recommendations from the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the European Federation of Nursing Regulators (FEPI) and the European Midwives Association (EMA).
The use of interactive methods and techniques promoting learning such as for example problem-solving methodology in the theoretical-practical classes and laboratory sessions are deemed suitable so that students can show knowledge acquired from the lectures, as well as discussion in the lectures of the current state-of-the-art regarding various course contents listed above.

CUNNINGHAM, F. et al. – Williams Obstetrícia. 20ª ed. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Guanabara, 2000. [10], 1242 p. ISBN
85-277-0589-3.
GRAÇA, Luis Mendes da - Medicina materno-fetal. 3ª ed. Lisboa: Lidel, 2005. XXV, 733 p. ISBN 978-972-757-325-7.
LOWDERMILK, Deitra L.; PERRY, Shanon E. – Enfermagem na maternidade. 7ª ed. Loures: Lusodidacta, 2008. XXII,
1043 p. ISBN 978-989-8075-16-1.