by Dr Yin May (Chief Medical and Clinical Officer)
The PEMNet training for the doctors, nurses and midwives in the Cook Islands started soon after the PEMNeT Train-the-Trainers in Auckland last August. We started with the pre-eclampsia/eclampsia module and then followed by the postpartum haemorrhage module the following month. The instructions were based on the PEMNet Manual and Facilitator’s Guide.
There were 18 participants in the first session and we were inclusive of all Rarotonga hospital doctors and nurses. The second training was for 20 doctors conducted at the Continuous Medical Education meeting for rural/generalist doctors that come to Rarotonga every two years for their Continuous Professional Development program.
We did a lecture first and then the group was split into two groups. Each group was further subdivided into two with one group performing the emergency skills scenario and the second group observing and visually estimating blood loss on different surfaces and containers.
(edited by Dr Alec Ekeroma.
We congratulate Dr May for her promotion to Chief Medical Officer. She has been perhaps, the longest serving solo obstetrician/gynaecologist in the Cook Islands. She has also published since the 2013 PSRH BRRACAP workshops of which she was a participant.)