SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Maintain optimum health of the pregnant woman and the family 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252091  Maintain optimum health of the pregnant woman and the family 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  12 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful for people working as clinically focused, service orientated, independent, registered staff nurses, who are able to render basic care to women during pregnancy, as determined by the appropriate legislative framework.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to maintain optimum health of the pregnant woman, the family and foetus during pregnancy.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Assess and maintain health status of a pregnant woman.
  • Prepare the mother and family for pregnancy, delivery and family changes.
  • Record and document the history of the pregnancy and birthing process. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Physical examinations; History Taking.
  • ID 252098: Use communication skills to establish and maintain supportive relationships.
  • Basic nursing care.
  • Pre-conception care and reproductive health.
  • Anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • The Nurse functions within the scope of practice of a staff nurse as formulated by the SANC and the Nursing Act.
  • The context applicable to this unit standard may be a hospital unit, community, mobile clinic or home delivery. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Assess and maintain health status of a pregnant woman. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Obstetric history taking and physical examinations of the mother is comprehensive and conducted in accordance with established procedures and protocols. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Significant changes in the condition of mother and/or foetus indicated by means of observations or laboratory results are accurately interpreted in accordance with generally accepted procedures and protocols. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Decisions to refer cases where there is evidence of potential risk to mother and/or foetus are correct, and supported by valid evidence. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Risk includes:
  • Sexually transmitted infections; oedema; abnormal urine findings.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Potential and actual emergencies of the mother and/or foetus are managed correctly in accordance with established emergency procedures, and with a degree of urgency appropriate to the circumstances. Referrals beyond own scope of practice are timeous, to appropriate health professionals, and in the prescribed manner. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Emergencies include:
  • Emergency delivery; reduced foetal movement; bleeding; early labour.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The regime of ante-natal visits set is realistic and appropriate to the particular circumstances, in line with established procedures and protocols. Compliance is encouraged and monitored in the best interests of the health of mother and foetus. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Monitoring procedures are applied correctly and at scheduled intervals. Variances from the expected norm are identified and referred without delay. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Monitoring includes:
  • Foetal movement, heart rate, growth.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Prepare the mother and family for delivery and family changes. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Health education provided to the mother and family is relevant and accurate and at a level appropriate to language and conceptual levels. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Health education includes:
  • Mother and babies nutritional, growth and developmental needs; activities and lifestyle during and after the pregnancy; signs of labour; essential principles for emergency delivery.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Options regarding the venue and management of delivery are presented, together with advantages and disadvantages of each, to facilitate informed decision making. Understanding of options is confirmed, and opportunity is provided for questions of clarification. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Ante-natal classes and appropriate health education are provided to assist in preparation for labour and the birthing process, in accordance with generally accepted nursing practice. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Education includes:
  • Information and exercises.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Significant others are prepared for the process and family changes through involvement in the ante-natal classes and health education opportunities. Preparation indicates opportunities and methods for providing support at various stages during delivery and after birth. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Record and document the history of the pregnancy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Information requirements for the ante-natal record are identified and described in accordance with current protocols. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Information includes:

    Vital signs/blood pressure of mother; vital signs of baby; position of baby; growth of baby; weight of mother; heart rate of baby; status of foetal movement.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Information is recorded accurately during each monitoring visit, and entered into the record as required by procedures and protocols. Documentation presents an accurate and up to date record of the pregnancy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Records are securely stored in the required format according to institutional requirements. They are available to authorised practitioners on request. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Records are stored permanently and are available to inform practitioners with respect to subsequent pregnancies. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Accreditation Options: Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation Option: The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance.

    Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.
  • Understanding of normal pregnancy.
  • Physical and/or pathological factors that increase the risk during pregnancy.
  • Management of the pregnant woman and foetus during the antenatal period.
  • Understanding of complications that may develop during pregnancy, their aetiology, clinical manifestations and sequelae.
  • Understanding of reproductive health.
  • Understanding requirements for obstetric specific laboratory test. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

    Note:
  • Identifying and implementing health care solutions implies problem-solving and effective decision making. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.

    Note:
  • Health care provision is team based. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

    Note:
  • Implementing health care requires effective organisation. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

    Note:
  • Central to monitoring and evaluation components. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations.

    Note:
  • Core competence. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.

    Note:
  • Used in assessment and monitoring. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

    Note:
  • Body as a system; part of the broader health care system. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:
  • The SANC guidelines are used as a reference for clinical competence.
  • Formative: A variety of assessment strategies and/or approaches integrating theory and practice must be used. These could be tests, assignments, projects, demonstrations, and/or clinical assessments or any other applicable assessment.
  • Summative: This can take a form of oral, written or practical assessments as agreed to with the relevant ETQA.

    Definition of Terms:

    Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. Further clarification of terms is provided as follows:
  • The terms "patient" and "health care user" are used interchangeably in this unit standard. The term patient is used internationally, and the term health care user is used in the Nursing Act 33 of 2005, as well as the National Health Act 61 of 2003. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  59236   National Diploma: Nursing  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2020-07-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 
    Core  59257   Bachelor of Nursing  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.