Report on Guest Lecture

The Department of Obstetric and Gynaecological (OBG) Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing (MCON), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, organized a guest lecture for postgraduate students of OBG Nursing specialty on  the topic “Role of Nurse Practitioner in Midwifery Care and Evidence-Based Practices” on 27 February, from 09.00 am to 10.00 am in the OBG Skill Lab Classroom, Sixth Floor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal.

The resource person for the session was Dr. Olga Gershuni, Faculty, Fontys University of Applied Sciences (Eindhoven) and Maastricht University, Department of International Health (Maastricht), The Netherlands, and International Faculty of MCON, MAHE, Manipal. During her session, she provided a comprehensive overview of the role of nurse practitioners in antenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care. She emphasized the importance of providing sensitive and respectful care to women, promoting informed and shared decision-making by nurse practitioners, and treating women with dignity as individuals rather than merely as patients.

Dr. Gershuni also shared insights on home deliveries practiced in the Netherlands, highlighting their potential advantages such as improved safety, reduced anxiety for mothers, and the presence of partners or family members during childbirth, including normal deliveries and cesarean sections. She further discussed the role of nurse practitioners as gatekeepers in maternity care systems.

In addition, she introduced the use of artificial intelligence tools, such as Research Rabbit and SciSpace, for evidence synthesis and research support, emphasizing their usefulness in promoting evidence-based practice research in nursing.

The session was aligned with an effort towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 4, which focus on Good Health and Well-being and Quality Education, respectively.

The event was coordinated by Mrs. Ranjani P, Assistant Professor, Department of OBG Nursing, MCON, MAHE, Manipal. The lecture was informative and provided valuable insights into advanced midwifery practice and evidence-based care.