{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T09:19:24Z","timestamp":1775035164953,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,10,10]],"date-time":"2016-10-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1476057600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJHCQA"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,10,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to assess available human resources for neonatal care and their skills, in order to explore health providers\u2019 perceptions of quality of neonatal care in health facilities in Ghana.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Data were gathered using qualitative interviews with health providers working in the maternity and paediatric wards and midwives; direct observation; and documentary review at a regional hospital, a municipal hospital and four health centres in a municipality in a region in Southern Ghana. Data were analysed using thematic framework through the process of coding in six phases to create and establish meaningful patterns.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study revealed that health providers were concerned about the number of staff available, their competence and also equipment available for them to work more efficiently. Some essential equipment for neonatal care was either not available or was non-functional where it was available, while aseptic procedures were not adhered to. Moreover, personal protective equipment such as facemask, caps, aprons were not used except in the labour wards where staff had to change their footwear before entering.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Limited number of health providers and facilities used, lack of exploration of parents of neonates\u2019 perspective of quality of neonatal care in this study and other settings, including the teaching hospitals. The authors did not examine issues related to the ineffective use of IV cannulation for neonates by nurses as well as referral of neonates. Additionally, the authors did not explore the perspectives of management of the municipal and regional health directorates or policy makers of the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service regarding the shortage of staff, inadequate provision of medical equipment and infrastructure.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper suggests the need for policy makers to redirect their attention to the issues that would improve the quality of neonatal health care in health facilities in Ghana and in countries with similar challenges.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Social implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study found that the majority of nursing staff catering for sick newborns were not trained in neonatal nursing. Babies were found sleeping in separate cots but were mixed with older children. The study suggests that babies should be provided with a separate room and not mixed with older babies.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>There seemed to be no defined policy framework for management of neonatal care in the country\u2019s health care facilities. The study recommends the adoption of paediatric and neonatal care nursing as a specialty in the curricula of health training institutions. In-service trainings should encompass issues related to management of sick babies, care of preterm babies, neonatal resuscitation and intravenouscannulation, among others.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/ijhcqa-04-2016-0055","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,9,28]],"date-time":"2016-09-28T16:49:45Z","timestamp":1475081385000},"page":"907-920","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Health providers\u2019 perception of quality of care for neonates in health facilities in a municipality in Southern Ghana"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"29","author":[{"given":"Kokui","family":"Elikplim Pomevor","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0105-134X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Augustine","family":"Adomah-Afari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref001","unstructured":"Addo-Yobo, E.O.D. (2010), \u201cNeonatal survival in Ghana \u2013 challenges and way forward\u201d, available at: dspace.knust.edu.gh:8080\/xmlui\/handle\/123456789\/549 (accessed 5 November 2012)."},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1177\/146879410100100307","article-title":"Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research","volume":"1","year":"2001","journal-title":"Qualitative Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.45.2.197","article-title":"Neonatal separation: the maternal side of interactional deprivation","volume":"45","year":"1970","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"494","DOI":"10.1097\/01.inf.0000069766.86901.91","article-title":"Factors associated with hand hygiene practices in two neonatal intensive care units","volume":"22","year":"2003","journal-title":"The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref005","unstructured":"Collins, A.S. (2008), \u201cPreventing health care-associated infections\u201d, in Hughes, R.G. (Ed.), Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD, pp. 547-575."},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref006","volume-title":"Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches","year":"2013","edition":"3rd ed."},{"issue":"7","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref007","first-page":"653","article-title":"Methods for deriving criteria for assessing the quality of medical care","volume":"37","year":"1980","journal-title":"Medical Care Review"},{"issue":"12","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1743","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1988.03410120089033","article-title":"The quality of care","volume":"260","year":"1988","journal-title":"JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"issue":"9425","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1948","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(04)16408-8","article-title":"Assessment of inpatient paediatric care in first referral level hospitals in 13 districts in Kenya","volume":"363","year":"2004","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref010","article-title":"Repository of Ghana districts","author":"Ghana Districts","year":"2013"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref011","article-title":"Deadly bacteria caused closure of children\u2019s ward","author":"Ghananewslink","year":"2012"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref012","volume-title":"Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2008","author":"GSS","year":"2009"},{"issue":"9","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref013","first-page":"1685","article-title":"Common issues in the care of sick neonates","volume":"66","year":"2002","journal-title":"American Family Physician"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1038\/jp.2008.233","article-title":"Neonatal hypothermia in low resource settings: a review","volume":"29","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Perinatology"},{"issue":"9462","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"891","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(05)71048-5","article-title":"4 million neonatal deaths: when? where? why?","volume":"365","year":"2005","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1136\/qshc.1.3.171","article-title":"Dimensions of quality revisited: from thought to action","volume":"1","year":"1992","journal-title":"Quality in Health Care"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref017","article-title":"Independent review health sector programme of work 2010: Ghana","author":"Ministry of Health","year":"2011"},{"issue":"12","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"931","DOI":"10.1007\/s13312-011-0149-z","article-title":"Challenges in scaling up of special care newborn units-lessons from India","volume":"48","year":"2011","journal-title":"Indian Pediatrics"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"651","DOI":"10.1007\/s13312-012-0135-0","article-title":"Does facility-based newborn care improve neonatal outcomes?: a review of evidence","volume":"49","year":"2012","journal-title":"Indian Pediatrics"},{"issue":"10","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1165","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2009.02358.x","article-title":"Are hospitals prepared to support newborn survival?: an evaluation of eight first-referral level hospitals in Kenya","volume":"14","year":"2009","journal-title":"Tropical Medicine and International Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1159\/000111530","article-title":"Improving the quality of medical prescriptions in neonatal units","volume":"93","year":"2008","journal-title":"Neonatology"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref022","volume-title":"Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods","year":"2002"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref023","first-page":"43","article-title":"Neonatal resuscitation \u2013 the team needs a leader","volume":"14","year":"2008","journal-title":"AVMA Medical & Legal Journal"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijgo.2011.02.007","article-title":"Methodology and tools for quality improvement in maternal and newborn health care","volume":"114","year":"2011","journal-title":"International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e676","DOI":"10.1016\/j.midw.2011.09.003","article-title":"What is quality in maternal and neonatal health care?","volume":"28","year":"2012","journal-title":"Midwifery"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhin.2004.11.005","article-title":"Handwashing in the intensive care unit: a big measure with modest effects","volume":"59","year":"2005","journal-title":"Journal of Hospital Infection"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref027","volume-title":"The Research Methods Knowledge Base","year":"2000","edition":"2nd ed."},{"issue":"S1","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1471-0528.2009.02333.x","article-title":"Quality of care for maternal and newborn health: the neglected agenda","volume":"116","year":"2009","journal-title":"BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology"},{"issue":"Supplement","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref029","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijgo.2009.07.013","article-title":"Neonatal resuscitation in low-resource settings: what, who, and how to overcome challenges to scale up?","volume":"107","year":"2009","journal-title":"International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref030","article-title":"Primary health care: report of the International Conference on Primary Health Care. Alma-Ata USSR","author":"WHO and UNICEF","year":"1978"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020121220231601700_ref031","first-page":"161","article-title":"Minimising medication errors in children","volume":"94","year":"2009","journal-title":"Archives of Disease in Childhood"},{"key":"key2020121220231601700_ref032","volume-title":"WHO Report 2006: Global Tuberculosis Control: Surveillance, Planning, Financing","author":"World Health Organisation","year":"2006"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/IJHCQA-04-2016-0055","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/IJHCQA-04-2016-0055\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/IJHCQA-04-2016-0055\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]],"date-time":"2025-07-25T01:04:33Z","timestamp":1753405473000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/ijhcqa\/article\/29\/8\/907-920\/122019"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,10,10]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,10,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/IJHCQA-04-2016-0055"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/ijhcqa-04-2016-0055","relation":{},"ISSN":["0952-6862"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0952-6862","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,10,10]]}}}