A Multidisciplinary Approach to Bringing the Obstetric Emergency Team Together

Poster PresentationPurpose for the ProgramCurrent evidence indicates that maternal mortality rates are increasing. The purpose of this project was to initiate a program that would improve multidisciplinary communication, increase efficiency, decrease staff confusion, and improve patient outcomes during an obstetric emergency.Proposed ChangeTo quickly bring the integral maternal‐child personnel together in order to address the obstetric emergency, three separate unique codes (code Neo [neonatology], code OB [obstetric], and code L&D [labor and delivery]) were developed. The current practice was to individually call each physician, registered nurse (RN), technician, or ancillary staff member needed in the event of an obstetric emergency. This amounted to seven or more separate phone calls and could take several minutes; time was potentially taken away from intervening and treating a patient in an emergent situation.Implementation, Outcomes, and EvaluationImplementation involved collaboration and coordination with several departments along with educating staff and physicians about the benefits of having OB specific code teams. A policy was written to specifically describe each code: Code Neo, an emergency involving the resuscitation of a neonate; Code OB, a emergent postpartum hemorrhage or ecliptic seizure; Code L&D, a crash cesarean. The new policy outlined the different roles of each team member and identified who was required to respond to each code. The Code Neo, ...
Source: Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Childbearing Source Type: research