THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF SENIOR MIDWIFERY AND NURSING STUDENTS ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF POSTPARTUM SEXUAL HEALTH

This descriptive study has been made to determine the knowledge and attitude of senior midwifery and nursing students about management of postpartum sexual health. The study population is the midwifery (n=77) and nursing (n=75) students who attend senior class during 2012-2013 academic year. The study completed with 145 of the students who agreed to participate. Data collection was made by a questionnaire (data collecting form) between dates 06/05/2013-24/05/2013. Frequency and percentage calculations and Chi square(X²) statistical test was used to evaluate data. The mean age of the participants is 22.5±1.79 years; and 50.4% of the participants are from nursing department and 49.6% of them are from midwifery department. 77.8% of the nursing students and 91.7% of the midwifery students declared that they provide information about sexual health while they are giving decharge education to postpartum period patients. 43.4% of the students stated that they have had a partially sufficient education about giving sexual health education and consultation in postpartum period. In this study, it has been determined that the primary education topic women require information from the students during postpartum period is the time to start having sexual intercourse (78.7%), the secondary education topic is family planning methods (23%). The knowledge level of students about when to start having sexual intercourse in postpartum period and the return time of reproductive organs to the state in prenatal period has been generally found sufficient, yet participants had insufficient knowledge about the starting time of ovulation and family planning. Generally it has concluded that midwifery students had a beter level of knowledge compared to nursing students. This might be because midwifery department syllabus contains a bigger number of classes about women’s health. According to the results of this study; in order to improve professional attitude and knowledge, it is recommended to add sexual health classes to midwifery and nursing syllabuses and make practices to improve sexual health consultation