HPSSC - 2015
Community Health Nursing
Easy
Which of the following is a primary responsibility of an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in maternal health?
Appeared in: HPSSC - 2015
Explanation
- The core function of an ASHA is to serve as a health activist and a link between the rural community and the formal health system.
- A primary responsibility is to mobilize pregnant women, ensuring they register for and attend regular antenatal check-ups to monitor their health and the fetus's development.
- ASHAs play a crucial role in promoting institutional deliveries by counseling women on the benefits of safe delivery and physically accompanying them to the health facility.
- This function directly contributes to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, a key goal of the National Health Mission.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Conducting deliveries, whether institutional or at home, requires specific clinical and midwifery skills.
- Option C: Prescribing medication is a legal and medical function reserved for registered medical practitioners or, in some cases, nurses under specific protocols.
- Option D: Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) involves life-saving procedures like managing postpartum hemorrhage or eclampsia, which require advanced medical training and a hospital setting.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Role of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in maternal health as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- The work of ASHAs is fundamental to the success of India's maternal and child health programs, directly impacting the reduction of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) by ensuring timely access to care.
- Nurses working in Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) must effectively coordinate with ASHAs for outreach activities, follow-ups, and ensuring a continuum of care from the community to the facility.
- What if the question asked about the role of an ANM? The correct answer would likely involve clinical tasks like conducting antenatal check-ups, administering tetanus toxoid injections, or performing normal deliveries, as ANMs are trained clinical personnel.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the key subject of the question, which is the 'Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA)'.
- Recall the fundamental role of an ASHA. They are community-based 'activists' or 'link workers', not clinical practitioners.
- Evaluate each option based on this core role. Ask yourself: 'Is this a community mobilization/facilitation task or a clinical/medical procedure?'
- Eliminate options involving clinical procedures like 'conducting deliveries' and 'performing emergency care'.
- Differentiate between 'distributing' and 'prescribing'. ASHAs distribute supplies they are given, but prescribing requires a medical license. This eliminates the 'prescribing' option.
- The remaining option, 'mobilizing' and 'accompanying', perfectly aligns with the ASHA's role as a community facilitator and link worker.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Role of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in maternal health
- Stem keywords: primary responsibility, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), maternal health
- Lead-in keywords: Which of the following is
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QYNnfF5xDZp8ED2tgsyf9k
Reference Book
E6 Principles and Practice of NURSING Management Leadership for BSc Nursing 3rd Edi Jogindra Vati — Subpart A (pp 26-339 of 1017) pp. 259-261, 257-259
E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 121-123
Practise the full HPSSC - 2015
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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