Lived Experience of Clinical Instructors on the Integration of Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care Protocol

This study explored the lived experiences of clinical instructors on the integration of Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC) protocol employing Husserlian Descriptive phenomenology. The experiences and emergent themes were described, and enabling and hindering factors were identified. The study consists of eight participants which were purposively selected among four nursing schools in Bukidnon. Interviews were conducted, tape?recorded, transcribed, and then transcripts analyzed using Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological method. Ten thematic concepts emerged as follows: (1) impact of integration, (2) negative outcomes, (3) advantages of integration, (4) challenges in teaching, (5) managing challenges, (6) encountering opportunities, (7) positive observations, (8) hindrances to compliance, (9) issues on integration, and (10) support to instructions. Hindrances identified to integration of the protocol are as follows; justifying non-compliance in affiliating hospitals, staffing problems in greater number of patients, problems with the hospital facility and resistance to change among health care providers. The experiences convey meaning of two opposing realities of positive and negative outcomes. However, these hindrances need not be the principal reason not to scale up the implementation of the protocol. But rather an inspiration to continually look into ways to strengthen its dynamic application both in the academe and in the hospital settings. The EINC protocol is the means to an end in attaining a decline in maternal and infant mortality rate.

Keywords: EINC protocol, nursing curriculum, clinical instructors, phenomenology, Bukidnon