Nursing Component Task
Nursing procedures & clinical learning

Midwifery (RM)

Health Education on Malaria to a Pregnant Woman/Client

Malaria education helps a pregnant woman prevent infection, recognize illness early, use preventive services, and seek prompt treatment. Teaching is adapted to local guidance, season, residence, pregnancy, and the woman’s understanding.

Purpose

  • Reduce malaria exposure and maternal-fetal complications
  • Promote use of insecticide-treated nets and preventive antenatal services
  • Support early testing and treatment of fever

Indications

  • Antenatal health education
  • Residence or travel in a malaria-risk area
  • Fever, malaria exposure, or questions about prevention and medicines

Equipment

  • Approved Ghana Health Service or facility education materials
  • Insecticide-treated net or demonstration material
  • Antenatal record
  • Interpreter or visual aid
  • Documentation materials

Preparation

  • Use approved locally relevant materials and check the woman’s preferred language.
  • Assess whether the woman has a net and knows where to obtain preventive services.

Procedure steps

  • Assess the woman’s knowledge, residence, exposure, previous malaria, medicines, and barriers to prevention.
  • Explain malaria transmission by infected mosquitoes and the increased risk in pregnancy.
  • Demonstrate consistent use, care, and repair of an insecticide-treated net.
  • Discuss reducing mosquito exposure through environmental measures and appropriate evening protection.
  • Explain prescribed intermittent preventive treatment or other national programme measures and adherence.
  • Advise prompt testing for fever, chills, headache, weakness, vomiting, or other illness rather than self-medicating.
  • Discuss medicine safety and the need to follow the clinician’s prescribed treatment.
  • Use teach-back and correct myths respectfully.
  • Give a clear plan for urgent care and antenatal follow-up.
  • Document education, understanding, supplies provided, symptoms, referral, and plan.

Precautions

  • Use current national malaria guidance and do not recommend unprescribed medicines.
  • Fever in pregnancy requires assessment and should not be dismissed as uncomplicated malaria.
  • Consider access, cost, housing, cultural beliefs, and household support.
  • Escalate severe illness, altered consciousness, respiratory distress, dehydration, or inability to take treatment.

Aftercare

  • Arrange testing or referral for fever and reinforce antenatal attendance.
  • Invite the woman to involve household members who can support prevention.

Nursing considerations

  • Use practical demonstrations and respectful correction of misinformation.
  • Link education to national antenatal and malaria-control services.

Patient education

  • Sleep under an insecticide-treated net every night and seek prompt assessment for fever.
  • Use only medicines recommended by the maternity team.

Documentation

  • Record education topics, understanding, preventive supplies, symptoms, referral, and follow-up.
  • Document treatment adherence concerns or barriers.

References and further reading

Educational resource only. Follow current Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance, local institutional protocols, scope of practice, and clinical supervision.

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