Study: Effectiveness of using targeted short videos to train antenatal and postnatal nurses on aspects of routine maternal and newborn care in public sector health facilities in South Africa

Study information and Informed Consent Form

We would like to invite you to be part of this study that is being conducted by the UBOMI BUHLE Pregnancy Exposure Registry team. Please read this information carefully so that you understand what it means to be part of this project.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to test a different method of training antenatal and postnatal nurses in routine aspects of health care. We will use short training videos sent via your mobile phone covering different topics. We want to evaluate whether this method is effective in improving nurses’ knowledge when longer training sessions are not possible.

Who will be invited to take part in this study?

Registered nurses, midwives and advanced midwives providing care at antenatal and postnatal facilities where the UBOMI BUHLE project is taking place will be invited to participate. Only those who are on duty when the study representative does a site visit will be invited to participate. This means some nurses may not be offered the opportunity (e.g. if they are off-duty or on leave).

What will it mean to take part in the study?

If you consent, you will receive the following via WhatsApp to your mobile phone:

1. Links to short training videos (1–5 minutes long) on a website which we call the “learning platform”. Each video will focus on an aspect of maternal or neonatal health care. These links will be sent once or twice a week between May 2026 and October 2026. There will be a total of about 20–25 videos which can be watched in your own time and at your own pace. Each video will have pre-training questions before the video plays and post-training questions after the video.
2. A link to complete a post-training evaluation form about whether you found the training useful, effective and user-friendly, and how the training could be improved.
3. Notification if you win a lucky draw prize. Prizes will consist of mobile phone data or UBOMI BUHLE branded merchandise.

Are there any risks to taking part in the study?

There are no significant risks to you if you take part in this study. There is minimal risk that your personal information could be seen by someone who is not authorised to do so. You will need to use the Wi-Fi or data ordinarily available to you, which may result in costs to you. The results of the assessments will be confidential.

What are the benefits to taking part in this study?

The training may improve your healthcare knowledge or skills. The results of this study may demonstrate an alternative or complementary method of delivering training to nurses that may be more effective and time-efficient.

What alternatives are there to participation?

If you would prefer not to participate in this study, but would still like to receive training, please talk to the UBOMI BUHLE site manager at your facility.

Will my information be kept confidential?

Your mobile number will be hidden from other participants. Consent forms will be securely stored and later destroyed. Only study staff will have access to identifying information. Your number will only be used for the purposes of this study.

Can I withdraw from the study?

Yes, you may end your participation at any time. Please let us know if you no longer wish to receive videos or participate and we will de-register you.

Who should I contact if I have any queries?

Principal investigator contact details:

Name: Dr Diane Lavies
Contact number: 083 450 8616
Email: diane.lavies@uct.ac.za or info@learningisbeautiful.org.za

Ethics approval for this study

This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee. If you have questions regarding your rights or complaints about this project, you may contact: