ASSESSING COMPETENCY OF NURSING OFFICERS PROVIDING INTRA-NATAL CARE IN COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE CENTERS AND SUB-DISTRICT HOSPITALS OF GADAG DISTRICT

Background: A critical stage of maternal healthcare is intra-natal care, when prompt and expert interventions can lower mother and newborn mortality and avoid problems. Nursing officers are often the primary caregivers for institutional births in rural areas, such as the Gadag district, where Community Health Centers (CHCs) and sub-district hospitals are essential services. National initiatives, such as LaQshya and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), have improved institutional delivery rates; however, competency gaps among nursing officers continue to pose a challenge to the quality of care. Research has indicated insufficient utilization of partographs, inadequate detection of the issues, and noncompliance with guidelines. Safe delivery procedures depend on having nurse officers with the necessary skills. Objectives: To assess the current competency levels of nursing officers in providing intranatal care at community health centres and sub-district hospitals of Gadag district. Materials and Methods: A Hospital-based Cross-Sectional study was conducted to assess the competency of nursing officers in providing intranatal care at selected Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) in Gadag district. Prior permission was obtained from the District Health Officer, Gadag. An enumeration method was used to include all eligible nursing officers present during the study period. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge and practices, and a competency-based observational checklist to evaluate skills in intranatal care. The data collected was entered and analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the data. Results: The study included 57 nursing officers from CHCs and SDHs in Gadag district, of whom 96.49% were female, and 59.6% had over 10 years of experience. Most (80.7%) held GNM qualifications, and 49.1% had received in-service training in the past three years. T-test analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in knowledge scores based on qualification, experience, or training (p > 0.05). Routine tasks, such as obstetric history taking (94.7%), fetal heart monitoring (92.9%), and maternal vital assessment (91.2%), were performed well. However, emergency skills were lacking; only 10.5% managed PPH correctly,1.7% retained placenta, and 12.3% performed neonatal resuscitation. While 82.4% supported early breastfeeding, essential newborn practices like kangaroo care (10.5%), danger sign recognition (14%), and skin-to-skin contact (63.1%) were inconsistently followed. These findings indicate a gap between knowledge and practice, highlighting the urgent need for hands-on, competency-based training, particularly in emergency and respectful maternity care. Conclusion: The study emphasizes that despite Nursing officers' technical proficiency, there are still gaps in mother-infant bonding, emergency treatment, and respectful maternity practices. All demographics had similar levels of knowledge, which suggests that targeted, systematic training is required. Providing high-quality, patient-centered care for mothers and newborns requires ongoing in-service training that strengthens emergency readiness, respectful treatment, and communication. It is essential to improve practical skills through simulation, encouraging supervision, and ongoing professional growth. Neonatal danger sign detection, postpartum haemorrhage care, and neonatal resuscitation should get particular attention. Closing these gaps would help moms and babies have better health outcomes and safer births.