Obstetric emergencies: Enhancing the multidisciplinary team through simulation

This article will discuss the use of high fidelity simulation in Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust in the north west of England. High fidelity simulation is used in the Trust for a few different purposes: during the biannual study day on ‘Managing the sick obstetric patient’, for live skills and drills on the maternity wards, and during the annual emergency training, which is incorporated into the mandatory training of staff. Each of these occasions includes the multidisciplinary team.

Simulation-based training was initially introduced to improve patient safety, addressing the factors surrounding substandard care during clinical incidents, while reducing clinical litigation (Fransen et al, 2012; National Patient Safety Agency, 2013). Lathrop et al (2007) suggest that poor teamwork is the cause of many critical incidents in health settings, and having a simulated learning environment where no harm can be caused is crucial in building experience and enhancing competence and confidence. Maternal death in the UK has been linked with poor standards of care and a lack of training to recognise acute emergencies or the ‘sick obstetric patient’, including failure to start treatment promptly (Manktelow et al, 2017). Simulation is proven to reduce clinical risk (Thompson et al, 2004) and results in enhanced teamwork and team performance (Fransen et al, 2012). As the National Maternity Review (NHS England, 2016), clearly states that ‘those who work together should train together’, simulation plays an important role in both undergraduate midwifery education and continuing professional development. Simulation therefore has a role to play in training staff to deal with emergencies effectively with a view to avoid and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in the UK.