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The teaching and use of a mnemonic to improve the management of shoulder dystocia

Alexander E.P. Heazell (Specialist Registrar in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, City Hospital, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK)
Nighat R. Bhatti (Consultant, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, City Hospital, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK)

Clinical Governance: An International Journal

ISSN: 1477-7274

Article publication date: 1 December 2004

584

Abstract

Aims to assess the benefits of using a mnemonic to structure the care given during episodes of shoulder dystocia, an obstetric emergency that has important sequelae for the mother and infant. A retrospective case‐notes‐based study was carried out to describe practice prior to the introduction of the mnemonic. A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the use of a mnemonic in practice, and whether this had an effect on foetal morbidity. Prior to the introduction of the mnemonic and structured documentation, care was delivered in an unstructured and in a non‐evidence‐based manner in 35 per cent of patients; documentation was incomplete in 68 per cent of cases. There was a 5 per cent incidence of injury to the infant. Following the introduction of a mnemonic, the use of evidence‐based manoeuvres increased to 100 per cent, and care was delivered in a structured manner and there were no recorded injuries to infants. The management of shoulder dystocia has been made safer and more controlled by using a mnemonic to describe an evidence‐based pathway. It has facilitated a multi‐disciplinary team‐based approach to the management of this obstetric emergency.

Keywords

Citation

Heazell, A.E.P. and Bhatti, N.R. (2004), "The teaching and use of a mnemonic to improve the management of shoulder dystocia", Clinical Governance: An International Journal, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 253-255. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777270410566670

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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