Preface By Ruth Bowen (nee Johnson) and Wendy Taylor We both take great delight in seeing students and midwives mature in their practice to become skilled, intuitive professionals with a complete range of skills and therefore able to offer care of the highest standards to women, families and babies in their care. We originally wrote this text with three/four year student midwives in mind, but it's become apparent that it's been useful to students of varying sorts and to midwives in various roles. This second edition has revised each chapter and added new material. We have endeavoured to search the literature thoroughly and to be as up to date as we can be. Nevertheless, new research will come on line, debates will arise, new protocols will be developed and thinking will move on. Do be aware of the need to keep up to date and to practice accordingly. There are obviously other essential skills for midwifery practice that are not covered here e.g. communication, that are well covered in other texts. Some subjects, such as hand hygiene have both a dedicated chapter and are spread throughout the text, such is their importance. The phrase 'Gain informed consent' appears in each chapter. There isn't space to discuss it in detail, but the principle is that each women (or baby) is treated with the greatest of respect and dignity, and are supplied with (wherever possible) full, unbiased information about the procedure, before it takes place in order that they can truly consent to it happening. As a student assistance will be required from a midwife to achieve this. Equally, 'Document the findings and act accordingly' occurs regularly. This refers to the midwife's responsibility to maintain accurate, details records at the time of care and to ensure that if issues need continuing follow up, then this occurs. Students will need to have their records countersigned by the midwife and to ensure that the midwife is fully informed of the care given and outcomes from it. We do know that babies are both male and female, in order to reduce confusion, babies are referred to as 'he' throughout this text, 'she' being the woman/mother. We trust that you'll enjoy learning from this text, that you'll develop in your practice and that the ultimate outcome will be satisfaction for both you and those in your care. Best wishes, Ruth Bowen (nee Johnson) & Wendy Taylor

Table of Contents

Contents Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Principles of abdominal examination - during pregnancy Chapter 2 Principles of abdominal examination - during labour Chapter 3 Principles of abdominal examination - during the postnatal period Chapter 4 Assessment of maternal and neonatal vital signs - temperature measurement Chapter 5 Assessment of maternal and neonatal vital signs - pulse measurement Chapter 6 Assessment of maternal and neonatal vital signs - blood pressure measurement Chapter 7 Assessment of maternal and neonatal vital signs - respiration assessment Chapter 8 Assessment of maternal and neonatal vital signs - neurological assessment Chapter 9 Principles of infection control - standard precautions Chapter 10 Principles of infection control - hand hygiene Chapter 11 Principles of infection control - principles of asepsis Chapter 12 Principles of infection control - obtaining swabs Chapter 13 Principles of hygiene needs - for the woman Chapter 14 Principles of hygiene needs - for the baby Chapter 15 Principles of elimination management - micturition Chapter 16 Principles of elimination management - catherterisation Chapter 17 Principles of elimination management - urinanalysis Chapter 18 Principles of elimination management - defecation Chapter 19 Principles of elimination management - obtaining urinary and stool specimens Chapter 20 Principles of drug administration - legal aspects Chapter 21 Principles of drug administration - pharmacokinetics and anaphylaxis Chapter 22 Principles of drug administration - oral administration Chapter 23 Principles of drug administration - injection technique Chapter 24 Principles of drug administration - administration of medicines per vaginum Chapter 25 Principles of drug administration - administration of medicines per rectum Chapter 26 Principles of drug administration - intravenous drug administration Chapter 27 Principles of drug administration - inhalation analgesia: Entonox Chapter 28 Principles of drug administration - epidural analgesia Chapter 29 Principles of drug administration - transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation Chapter 30 Facilitation of related childbearing skills - optimal fetal positioning Chapter 31 Facilitation of childbearing skills - speculum use Chapter 32 Facilitation of childbearing skills - membrane sweep Chapter 33 Principles of intrapartum skills - examination per vaginum Chapter 34 Principles of intrapartum skills - second stage issues Chapter 35 Third stage issues Chapter 36 Principles of intrapartum skills - examination of the placenta Chapter 37 Principles of intrapartum skills - perineal repair Chapter 38 Principles of intrapartum skills - management of birth at home Chapter 39 Principles of intrapartum skills - managing birth in water Chapter 40 Assessment of the baby - assessment at birth Chapter 41 Assessment of the baby - daily examination Chapter 42 Assessment of the baby - capillary sampling Chapter 43 Assessment of the baby - developmental dysplasia of the hips Chapter 44 Principles of infant nutrition - breastfeeding Chapter 45 Principles of infant nutrition - cup feeding Chapter 46 Principles of infant nutrition - sterilisation of feeding equipment Chapter 47 Principles of infant nutrition - formula feeding Chapter 48 Principles of infant nutrition - nasogastric feeding Chapter 49 Principles of phlebotomy and intravenous therapy - maternal venepuncture Chapter 50 Principles of phlebotomy and intravenous therapy - intravenous cannulation Chapter 51 Principles of phlebotomy and intravenous therapy - intravenous infusion Chapter 52 Principles of phlebotomy and intravenous therapy - blood transfusion Chapter 53 Principles of moving and handling Chapter 54 Principles of perioperative skills Chapter 55 Principles of wound management - principles of wound healing Chapter 56 Principles of wound management - postoperative wound management Chapter 57 Principles of restricted mobility management - pressure area care Chapter 58 Principles of restricted mobility management - prevention of thromboembolism Chapter 59 Principles of cardio pulmonary resuscitation - maternal resuscitation Chapter 60 Principles of cardio pulmonary resuscitation - neonatal resuscitation Glossary Index