NNC NLEM Midwifery study plan

Build a one-page antenatal schedule map covering booking visit, visit intervals by gestation, and the components of each visit, then recite it from memory.

List and explain the purpose of at least 12 routine antenatal investigations (including haemoglobin, blood group and Rh, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, urinalysis, glucose screening, and ultrasound timing) with when each is done and what an abnormal result triggers.

Demonstrate and narrate the full abdominal examination sequence: inspection, fundal height measurement, palpation of lie, presentation, position and engagement, and auscultation of the fetal heart, including how to interpret findings at 28, 34 and 38 weeks.

Work through 15 calculation drills converting gestational age to fundal height expectations, estimated date of delivery using Naegele's rule, and gravida/para notation, aiming for 90% accuracy.

Draft a written explanation of the partograph's key action and alert lines and the parameters plotted, suitable for teaching a colleague.

Sequence the mechanisms of normal labour in order and explain, for each, what the midwife observes or documents.

Compare the three stages of labour plus the third stage of the first hour, stating expected duration ranges, maternal observations, and fetal monitoring intervals for each.

Practise interpreting 10 partograph scenarios (given as written descriptions of dilatation, descent, contractions and fetal heart) and state whether labour is progressing normally or requires escalation.

Write out supportive-care actions for each stage, including mobility, hydration, pain relief options, perineal support at birth, and immediate newborn drying and assessment.

Explain the physiology and active management of the third stage, including uterotonic timing, controlled cord traction, and when to withhold it.

Outline the postpartum maternal assessment by system for the first 24 hours, days 2-7, and weeks 2-6, listing what is normal versus a red flag at each point.

Describe normal and abnormal lochia patterns, uterine involution, perineal wound healing, and breast-feeding assessment, and state the action for each deviation.

Explain newborn immediate care steps (drying, warmth, cord care, vitamin K, eye prophylaxis where indicated, first feed, identification) and the schedule for newborn examinations and immunisations.

Interpret 8 written newborn scenarios involving feeding difficulty, jaundice timing, weight loss percentage, and temperature, and classify each as reassure, review, or refer.

Summarise the counselling points for successful breast-feeding initiation and for recognising and managing common feeding problems.

Build a table of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP) with diagnostic criteria, maternal and fetal risks, and first-line management for each.

Explain the recognition and immediate management of postpartum haemorrhage by cause (tone, trauma, tissue, thrombin), including uterotonic options, bimanual compression, and escalation triggers.

Describe the recognition and management of obstructed labour, malpresentation, cord prolapse, and shoulder dystocia, listing the manoeuvres and the order in which they are used.

Outline the midwife's actions for preterm labour, premature rupture of membranes, and suspected intrauterine infection, including when to transfer and what to document.

Map the major causes of maternal death and severe morbidity in low-resource settings and state the midwife-level prevention action for each.

Recite the neonatal resuscitation algorithm from birth to post-resuscitation care, stating the decision point at each step and the correct technique and rate for ventilation and compressions.

Explain the indications, preparation, and technique for bag-and-mask ventilation and for umbilical vein catheterisation, including drug and fluid volumes by weight.

Describe the care of the small or preterm newborn: thermoregulation, feeding, kangaroo mother care, apnoea monitoring, and infection risk.

Interpret 10 written cases of birth asphyxia, respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, sepsis, and jaundice in the newborn, and state the immediate action and referral decision for each.

Revisit complicated labour topics from week 4 by writing a short comparison of how each complication changes newborn resuscitation readiness.

Compare at least 8 contraceptive methods on effectiveness, duration, mechanism, side effects, non-contraceptive benefits, and who should avoid them, and match each to a written client profile.

Explain emergency contraception options, timing windows, and counselling points, and describe post-abortion and postpartum family planning timing rules.

Outline the midwife's role in cervical screening, sexually transmitted infection screening and partner notification, and adolescent sexual health counselling.

Build a medication safety checklist covering the five rights, high-alert medicines in maternity care, look-alike/sound-alike risks, and the uterotonic and antihypertensive drugs most used in midwifery, with dose, route, and key cautions.

Explain standard precautions, hand hygiene moments, sharps and spill management, and waste segregation, and apply them to 5 written maternity ward scenarios.

Explain the legal and regulatory framework the midwife practises within: scope of practice, licensure and renewal, supervision and delegation, and mandatory reporting obligations.

Apply the core ethical principles to 8 written dilemmas (consent in labour, refusal of treatment, confidentiality in adolescent care, conscientious objection, disclosure of error) and justify each decision.

Describe informed consent requirements, record-keeping standards, and the midwife's duty in female genital mutilation, domestic violence, and safeguarding situations.

Design a 10-minute community health education session on one antenatal or newborn topic, including key messages, a teaching aid, and how you would check understanding.

Explain how to adapt counselling for low literacy, language barriers, disability, and partner or family involvement, and list the referral pathways available in your setting.

Appraise 3 written research abstracts for study design, sample, bias, and applicability to midwifery practice, and state whether you would change practice.

Explain the steps of a quality improvement cycle and design one measurable improvement aim relevant to your setting, including indicator, baseline, and review interval.

Complete a timed 120-question mixed mock examination under exam conditions and score it by domain to identify your three weakest areas.

Re-study your three weakest domains using your own week 1-7 deliverables, then re-test those areas with 40 fresh questions.

Consolidate all weekly deliverables into a single indexed revision file and write a one-page exam-day strategy covering timing, question triage, and common trap patterns.