Elements and Performance Criteria
- Deliver postnatal health care
- Make and record observations of mother and infant in line with standard protocols and organisational guidelines
- Provide information and support for self-care and wellbeing in the post-natal period
- Provide advice on routine care of the newborn to mothers
- Implement strategies to establish and support breast feeding
- Discuss with the client the importance of nutrition, exercise, rest, sleep and support with domestic tasks and care of family in the immediate postnatal period
- Identify minor post-natal problems for mother and newborn and provide appropriate advice
- Identify potentially serious health conditions for mother and newborn and refer to senior health staff
- Provide information on contraceptive options
- Organise and evaluate maternal health programs
- Maintain registers of women undergoing postnatal care according to organisational policies and procedures
- Keep schedules of participation in postnatal care and use to organise continuing care for women
- Organise and/or provide reminders, transport and other assistance to attend care according to women's needs
- Provide supervision of other staff participating in provision of postnatal care
- Maintain referral and communication networks with medical staff, specialist obstetricians, midwives, allied health staff, birthing facilities and female community elders
- Keep statistics on attendance for antenatal care and birthing outcomes and use to evaluate maternal health programs