Practice with life-like mother and baby makes delivering babies safer
Allina Hospitals & Clinics uses simulator for birth training
FRIDLEY, Minn. 03/22/2007--
Even in the 21st Century, childbirth has risks. One of the most common is shoulder dystocia. That's when the child has its head out but has a shoulder stuck. There are a number of maneuvers to rescue the baby, but they are not always successful.
"Shoulder dystocia complicates as many as three percent of vaginal deliveries. It doesn't happen often, but it's almost always unpredictable and poses dangers to the mother and baby," said Obstetrician and Gynecologist Nick Hamel, MD.
For the baby, shoulder dystocia can lead to breathing problems, nerve damage, fractures, and in serious cases, brain damage or death. The mother can experience tearing, hemorrhage, nerve damage, and uterine rupture. However, recent studies show that when nurses and physicians practice on simulators, their skills significantly improve.
Allina Hospitals & Clinics has purchased a simulator that allows clinicians to learn the complexities associated with birthing and practice the skills required for successful deliveries, particularly difficult ones. Allina is the first hospital system to purchase this particular simulator to train for force monitoring of shoulder dystocia delivery techniques
The clinically accurate simulator, the PROMPT Birthing Simulator by Laerdal®, presents the mother and baby in multiple positions for normal, difficult and instrument deliveries. In the training for shoulder dystocia, the simulator measures and provides instant feedback on the amount of pressure applied to the baby during delivery. This is an important feature, because too much downward pressure on the fetal head can lead to damage to the nerves that affect the baby's shoulders and arms.
Simulator training
Simulator training began today at Allina Hospitals & Clinics at Unity in Fridley. Training will also include Mercy in Coon Rapids, United in St. Paul and Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis.
More than 16,000 deliveries were performed at Allina metro hospitals in 2006.
About Allina Hospitals & Clinics
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services, providing care throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina owns and operates 11 hospitals, 65 clinics and health care services, including home care, hospice and palliative care, oxygen and medical equipment, pharmacies and emergency medical transportation. More about Allina and the latest health information can be found online at www.allina.com.
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