Training Champs Pump up Perinatal Safety

Maintaining “high reliability” in all Partners HealthCare perinatal units, where the primary focus is patient safety and preventing birth injuries, is the driving force behind a year-long “teamwork training” pilot program at BWH, MGH, Newton-Wellesley Hospital and North Shore Medical Center.

The Partners perinatal patient safety pilot program began in January with “train the trainer” sessions for 60 teamwork training champions, including 18 BWHers. These BWH training champs now lead training sessions for staff to reinforce key elements of the program.

Last month, BWH Labor and Delivery participated in a simulation drill when nurses, doctors and technicians in a routine baby delivery were thrown a curve with shoulder dystocia, which occurs when the fetus' shoulders are too large to fit through the birth canal. During the drill instruction, new critical language-alerting clinicians to issues of possible concern without alarming the family-were among the tools emphasized.

BWH Perinatal Patient Safety Teamwork Training Champions include:
David Acker, MD; Beth Armstrong, RN; Daniela Carusi, MD; Jane Daisy, RN; Lillian Enright, RN; Elizabeth Fein, CNM; Roxane Gardner, MD, MPH; Gladys Gibbs, MD; Paula Gillette, RN; James Greenberg, MD; David Hepner, MD; Margaret Hickey, RN; Andrea Kelly, RN; Miriam Mahler, CNM, MPH; Rafik Mansour, MD, PhD; Julianne Mazzawi, RN; Steven Ringer, MD; Louise Wilkins-Haug, MD, PhD.