Effectiveness of team training in managing shoulder dystocia: a retrospective study

Asynchronous Learning Module for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians on How to Manage Vaginal Birth and Neonatal Resuscitation in the Emergency Department

OBJECTIVES

Newborn deliveries and neonatal resuscitation events are rare but essential skills for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians. We sought to evaluate the effect of an online module on PEM physicians' knowledge and confidence in managing newborn deliveries and neonatal resuscitation.

METHODS

A team of experts in PEM, obstetrics, neonatology, and medical education developed a self-directed, 1-hour online module on managing newborn deliveries with neonatal resuscitation. The module was designed to address the learning needs of the targeted group. The module was piloted before dissemination to PEM faculty. A 10-question multiple choice test was given to assess knowledge of the material covered. A 10-point Likert scale questions survey was used to evaluate confidence. Measures were administered before initiation, after module completion, and 6 months after completion. Paired t tests were used to compare mean knowledge scores, and rank sum tests were used to compare median confidence levels.

RESULTS

Most (n = 47, 89%) of the PEM faculty members completed the module. The majority (n = 43, 91%) thought the information was relevant to their practice. After completing the module, physicians' overall knowledge scores improved by 18% (mean [SD]: 74% [14.7] vs 92% [8.0], P < 0.01). Self-assessed confidence improved after the module in terms of managing uncomplicated vaginal deliveries (median 5 vs 7, P < 0.01), care of patients with complicated vaginal deliveries (2 vs 5, P < 0.01), and managing neonatal resuscitation (7 vs 8, P < 0.01). During the 6-month follow-up, there was sustained improvement in physicians' overall knowledge score (82% [16.9], P = 0.007) and self-assessed confidence in managing complicated vaginal deliveries (median 2 vs 4, P = 0.0012); however, other measures were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

An online module is an appropriate method for training PEM providers about rarely used but essential skills such as managing vaginal deliveries and neonatal resuscitation.

Evaluating the impact of a maternity and neonatal emergencies education programme in Australian regional and rural health services on clinician knowledge and confidence: a pre-test post-test study

INTRODUCTION

Almost 78 000 women gave birth in the state of Victoria, Australia, in 2019. While most births occurred in metropolitan Melbourne and large regional centres, a significant proportion of women birthed in rural services. In late 2016, to support clinicians to recognise and respond to clinical deterioration, the Victorian government mandated provision of an emergency training programme, called Maternity and Newborn Emergencies (MANE), to rural and regional maternity services across the state. This paper describes the evaluation of MANE.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A quasi-experimental study design was used; the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model provided the framework.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants came from the 17 rural and regional Victorian maternity services who received MANE in 2018 and/or 2019.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Baseline data were collected from MANE attendees before MANE delivery, and at four time points up to 12 months post-delivery. Clinicians' knowledge of the MANE learning objectives, and confidence ratings regarding the emergencies covered in MANE were evaluated. The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) assessed safety climate pre-MANE and 6 months post-MANE among all maternity providers at the sites.

RESULTS

Immediately post-MANE, most attendees reported increased confidence to escalate clinical concerns (n=251/259). Knowledge in the non-technical and practical aspects of the programme increased. Management of perinatal emergencies was viewed as equally stressful pre-MANE and post-MANE, but confidence to manage these emergencies increased post-delivery. Pre-MANE SAQ scores showed consistently strong and poor performing services. Six months post-MANE, some services showed improvements in SAQ scores indicative of improved safety climate.

CONCLUSION

MANE delivery resulted in both short-term and sustained improvements in knowledge of, and confidence in, maternity emergencies. Further investigation of the SAQ across Victoria may facilitate identification of services with a poor safety climate who could benefit from frequent targeted interventions (such as the MANE programme) at these sites.

Interventions to decrease complications after shoulder dystocia: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes associated with the implementation of simulation exercises to reduce the sequela of shoulder dystocia.

DATA SOURCES

Electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature database, and Scopus) were initially queried in June 2020 and updated in November 2020. The following 3 concepts were introduced and refined using the controlled vocabulary of the database: vaginal birth, shoulder dystocia, and simulation training. There were no limitations to the year of publication as part of the search strategy.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We included all studies that reported on the frequency of shoulder dystocia and the associated complications before and after the implementation of interventional exercises to improve outcomes.

METHODS

Two authors independently assessed the abstracts and full-text articles of all studies for eligibility and evaluated the quality of the included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Any inconsistencies related to study evaluation or data extraction were resolved by a third author. The coprimary outcomes of this systematic review and meta-analysis were neonatal brachial plexus palsy diagnosed following deliveries complicated by shoulder dystocia and persistence of brachial palsy at 12 months or later. The secondary outcomes were the frequency of shoulder dystocia and cesarean delivery. Study effects were combined using a Bayesian meta-analysis and were reported as risk ratios and 95% credible intervals (Crs).

RESULTS

Of the 372 articles reviewed, 16 publications, which included 428,552 deliveries with 217,713 (50.8%) deliveries during the preintervention and 210,839 (49.2%) deliveries during the postinterventional period, were included in the meta-analysis. The incidence of neonatal brachial plexus palsy after shoulder dystocia decreased from 12.1% to 5.7% (risk ratio, 0.37; 95% Cr, 0.26-0.57; probability of reduction 100%). The overall proportion of neonatal brachial plexus palsy decreased, but with less precision, from 0.3% to 0.1% (risk ratio, 0.53; 95% Cr, 0.21-1.26; probability of reduction 94%). Two studies followed newborns with brachial plexus palsy for at least 12 months. One study that reported on persistent neonatal brachial plexus palsy at 12 months among 1148 shoulder dystocia cases noted a reduction in persistent neonatal brachial plexus palsy from 1.9% to 0.2% of shoulder dystocia cases (risk ratio, 0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.49). In contrast, the study that reported on persistent neonatal brachial plexus palsy at 12 months for all deliveries noted that it did not change significantly, namely from 0.3 to 0.2 per 1000 births (risk ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-1.90). Following the implementation of shoulder dystocia interventional exercises, the diagnosis of shoulder dystocia increased significantly from 1.2% to 1.7% of vaginal deliveries (risk ratio, 1.39; 95% Cr, 1.19-1.65; probability of increase 100%). Compared with the preimplementation period, the cesarean delivery rate increased postimplementation from 21.2% to 25.9% (risk ratio, 1.22; 95% Cr, 0.93-1.59; probability of increase 93%). We created an online tool (https://ccrebm-bell.shinyapps.io/sdmeta/) that permits calculation of the absolute risk reduction and absolute risk increase attributable to the intervention vis-à-vis the incidence of shoulder dystocia, neonatal brachial plexus palsy, and cesarean deliveries.

CONCLUSION

Introduction of shoulder dystocia interventional exercises decreased the rate of neonatal brachial plexus palsy per shoulder dystocia case; the data on persistence of neonatal brachial plexus palsy beyond 12 months is limited and contradictory. Implementation of the interventions was associated with an increase in the diagnosis of shoulder dystocia and rate of cesarean deliveries.

The effects of obstetric emergency team training on patient outcome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Little is known about the optimal simulation-based team training in obstetric emergencies. We aimed to review how simulation-based team training affects patient outcomes in obstetric emergencies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Search Strategy: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to and including May 15, 2021.

SELECTION CRITERIA

randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies on obstetric teams in high-resource settings comparing the effect of simulation-based obstetric emergency team training with no training on the risk of Apgar scores less than 7 at 5 min, neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, severe postpartum hemorrhage, blood transfusion of four or more units, and delay of emergency cesarean section by more than 30 min.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The included studies were assessed using PRISMA, EPCO, and GRADE.

RESULTS

We found 21 studies, four RCTs and 17 cohort studies, evaluating patient outcomes after obstetric team training compared with no training. Annual obstetric emergency team training may reduce brachial plexus injury (six cohort studies: odds ratio [OR] 0.47, 95% CI 0.33-0.68; one RCT: OR 1.30, 95 CI% 0.39-4.33, low certainty evidence) and suggest a positive effect; but it was not significant on Apgar score below 7 at 5 min (three cohort studies: OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.51-1.19; two RCT: OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.72-1.05, moderate certainty evidence). The effect was unclear for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, umbilical prolapse, decision to birth interval in emergency cesarean section, and for severe postpartum hemorrhage. Studies with in situ multi-professional simulation-based training demonstrated the best effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Emerging evidence suggests an effect of obstetric team training on obstetric outcomes, but conflicting results call for controlled trials targeted to identify the optimal methodology for effective team training.

Multi-professional simulation-based team training in obstetric emergencies for improving patient outcomes and trainees' performance

BACKGROUND

Simulation-based obstetric team training focuses on building a system that will anticipate errors, improve patient outcomes and the performance of clinical care teams. Simulation-based obstetric team training has been proposed as a tool to improve the overall outcome of obstetric health care.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of simulation-based obstetric team training on patient outcomes, performance of obstetric care teams in practice and educational settings, and trainees' experience.

SEARCH METHODS

The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched (14 April 2020), together with references checking and hand searching the available proceedings of 2 international conferences.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cluster-randomised trials) comparing simulation-based obstetric team training with no, or other type of training.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane, to identify articles, assess methodological quality and extract data. Data from three cluster-randomised trials could be used to perform generic inverse variance meta-analyses. The meta-analyses were based on risk ratios (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the GRADE approach to rate the certainty of the evidence. We used Kirkpatrick's model of training evaluation to categorise the outcomes of interest; we chose Level 3 (behavioural change) and Level 4 (patient outcome) to categorise the primary outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS

We included eight RCTs, six of which were cluster-randomised trials, involving more than 1000 training participants and more than 200,000 pregnancies/births. Four studies reported on outcome measures on Kirkpatrick level 4 (patient outcome), three studies on Kirkpatrick level 3 (performance in practice), two studies on Kitkpatrick level 2 (performance in educational settings), and none on Kirkpatrick level 1 (trainees' experience). The included studies were from Mexico, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA, all middle- and high-income countries. Kirkpatrick level 4 (patient outcome) Simulation-based obstetric team training may make little or no difference for composite outcomes of maternal and/or perinatal adverse events compared with no training (3 studies; n = 28,731, low-certainty evidence, data not pooled due to different composite outcome definitions). We are uncertain whether simulation-based obstetric team training affects maternal mortality compared with no training (2 studies; 79,246 women; very low-certainty evidence). However, it may reduce neonatal mortality (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.01; 2 studies, 79,246 pregnancies/births, low-certainty evidence). Simulation-based obstetric team training may have little to no effect on low Apgar score compared with no training (RR 0.99, 95% 0.85 to 1.15; 2 studies; 115,171 infants; low-certainty evidence), but it probably reduces trauma after shoulder dystocia (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.99; 1 study; moderate-certainty evidence) and probably slightly reduces the number of caesarean deliveries (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.93; 1 study; n = 50,589; moderate-certainty evidence) Kirkpatrick level 3 (performance in practice) We found that simulation-based obstetric team training probably improves the performance of the obstetric teams in practice, compared with no training (3 studies; 2398 obstetric staff members, moderate-certainty evidence, data not pooled due to different outcome definitions).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Simulation-based obstetric team training may help to improve team performance of obstetric teams, and it might contribute to improvement of specific maternal and perinatal outcomes, compared with no training. However, high-certainty evidence is lacking due to serious risk of bias and imprecision, and the effect cannot be generalised for all outcomes. Future studies investigating simulation-based obstetric team training compared to training courses with a different instructional design should carefully consider how and when to measure outcomes. Particular attention should be paid to effect measurement at the level of patient outcome, taking into consideration the low incidence of adverse maternal and perinatal events.

Difficult Delivery and Neonatal Resuscitation: A Novel Simulation for Emergency Medicine Residents

Introduction

Newborn delivery and resuscitation are rare, but essential, emergency medicine (EM) skills. We evaluated the effect of simulation on EM residents’ knowledge, confidence, and clinical skills in managing shoulder dystocia and neonatal resuscitation.

Methods

We developed a novel simulation that integrates a shoulder dystocia with neonatal resuscitation and studied a convenience sample of EM residents. Each 15-minute simulation was run with one learner, a simulated nurse, and a standardized patient in situ in the emergency department. The learner was required to reduce a shoulder dystocia and then perform neonatal resuscitation. We debriefed with plus/delta format, standardized teaching points, and individualized feedback. We assessed knowledge with a nine-question multiple choice test, confidence with five-point Likert scales, and clinical performance using a checklist of critical actions. Residents repeated all measures one year after the simulation.

Results

A total of 23 residents completed all measures. At one-year post-intervention, residents scored 15% higher on the knowledge test. All residents increased confidence in managing shoulder dystocia on a five-point Likert scale (1.4 vs 2.8) and 80% increased confidence in performing neonatal resuscitation (1.8 vs 3.0). Mean scores on the checklist of critical actions improved by 19% for shoulder dystocia and by 27% for neonatal resuscitation.

Conclusion

Implementing simulation may improve EM residents’ knowledge, confidence, and clinical skills in managing shoulder dystocia and neonatal resuscitation.

Effects of emergency obstetric care training on maternal and perinatal outcomes: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial in South Africa

Introduction

Two-thirds of maternal deaths and 40% of intrapartum-related neonatal deaths are thought to be preventable through emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmOC&NC). The effectiveness of ‘skills and drills’ training of maternity staff in EmOC&NC was evaluated.

Methods

Implementation research using a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial including 127 of 129 healthcare facilities (HCFs) across the 11 districts in South Africa with the highest maternal mortality. The sequence in which all districts received EmOC&NC training was randomised but could not be blinded. The timing of training resulted in 10 districts providing data before and 10 providing data after EmOC&NC training. Primary outcome measures derived for HCFs are as follows: stillbirth rate (SBR), early neonatal death (ENND) rate, institutional maternal mortality ratio (iMMR) and direct obstetric case fatality rate (CFR), number of complications recognised and managed and CFR by complication.

Results

At baseline, median SBR (per 1000 births) and ENND rate (per 1000 live births) were 9 (IQR 0–28) and 0 (IQR 0–9). No significant changes following training in EmOC&NC were detected for any of the stated outcomes: SBR (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.05), iMMR (aIRR 1.23, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.90), ENND rate (aIRR 1.04, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.17) and direct obstetric CFR (aIRR 1.15, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.02). The number of women who were recognised to need and received EmOC was significantly increased overall (aIRR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.27), for haemorrhage (aIRR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.52) and for postpartum sepsis (aIRR 1.86, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.95)

Conclusion

Following EmOC&NC training, healthcare providers are more able to recognise and manage complications at time of birth. This trial did not provide evidence that the intervention was effective in reducing adverse clinical outcomes, but demonstrates randomised evaluations are feasible in implementation research.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN11224105.

The effectiveness of training in emergency obstetric care: a systematic literature review

Providing quality emergency obstetric care (EmOC) reduces the risk of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. There is evidence that over 50% of maternal health programmes that result in improving access to EmOC and reduce maternal mortality have an EmOC training component. The objective was to review the evidence for the effectiveness of training in EmOC. Eleven databases and websites were searched for publications describing EmOC training evaluations between 1997 and 2017. Effectiveness was assessed at four levels: (1) participant reaction, (2) knowledge and skills, (3) change in behaviour and clinical practice and (4) availability of EmOC and health outcomes. Weighted means for change in knowledge and skills obtained, narrative synthesis of results for other levels. One hundred and one studies including before-after studies (n = 44) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 15). Level 1 and/or 2 was assessed in 68 studies; Level 3 in 51, Level 4 in 21 studies. Only three studies assessed effectiveness at all four levels. Weighted mean scores pre-training, and change after training were 67.0% and 10.6% for knowledge (7750 participants) and 53.1% and 29.8% for skills (6054 participants; 13 studies). There is strong evidence for improved clinical practice (adherence to protocols, resuscitation technique, communication and team work) and improved neonatal outcomes (reduced trauma after shoulder dystocia, reduced number of babies with hypothermia and hypoxia). Evidence for a reduction in the number of cases of post-partum haemorrhage, case fatality rates, stillbirths and institutional maternal mortality is less strong. Short competency-based training in EmOC results in significant improvements in healthcare provider knowledge/skills and change in clinical practice. There is emerging evidence that this results in improved health outcomes.

Simulation of Shoulder Dystocia for Skill Acquisition and Competency Assessment: A Systematic Review and Gap Analysis

STATEMENT

Mastery of shoulder dystocia management skills acquired via simulation training can reduce neonatal brachial plexus injury by 66% to 90%. However, the correlation between simulation drills and reduction in clinical injuries has been inconsistently replicated, and establishing a causal relationship between simulation training and reduction of adverse clinical events from shoulder dystocia is infeasible due to ethical limitations. Nevertheless, professional liability insurance carriers increasingly are mandating simulation-based rehearsal and competency assessment of their covered obstetric providers' shoulder dystocia management skills-a high-stakes demand that will require rapid scaling up of access to quality shoulder dystocia simulation. However, questions remain about differing simulation training schemes and instructional content used among clinically effective and ineffective educational interventions. This review of original research compares curricular content of shoulder dystocia simulation and reveals several critical gaps: (1) prescriptive instruction prioritizing maneuvers shown to decrease strain on the brachial plexus is inconsistently used. (2) Proscriptive instruction to avoid placing excessive and laterally directed traction on the head or to observe a brief hands-off period before attempting traction is infrequently explicit. (3) Neither relative effectiveness nor potential interaction between prescriptive and proscriptive elements of instruction has been examined directly. (4) Reliability of high-fidelity mannequins capable of objective measurement of clinician-applied traction force as compared with subjective assessment of provider competence is unknown. Further study is needed to address these gaps and inform efficient and effective implementation of clinically translatable shoulder dystocia simulation.

Ten years of simulation-based shoulder dystocia training- impact on obstetric outcome, clinical management, staff confidence, and the pedagogical practice - a time series study

BACKGROUND

To assess the impact of 10 years of simulation-based shoulder dystocia training on clinical outcomes, staff confidence, management, and to scrutinize the characteristics of the pedagogical practice of the simulation training.

METHODS

In 2008, a simulation-based team-training program (PROBE) was introduced at a medium sized delivery unit in Linköping, Sweden. Data concerning maternal characteristics, management, and obstetric outcomes was compared between three groups; prePROBE (before PROBE was introduced, 2004-2007), early postPROBE (2008-2011) and late postPROBE (2012-2015). Staff responded to an electronic questionnaire, which included questions about self-confidence and perceived sense of security in acute obstetrical situations. Empirical data from the pedagogical practice was gathered through observational field notes of video-recordings of maternity care teams participating in simulation exercises and was further analyzed using collaborative video analysis.

RESULTS

The number of diagnosed shoulder dystocia increased from 0.9/1000 prePROBE to 1.8 and 2.5/1000 postPROBE. There were no differences in maternal characteristics between the groups. The rate of brachial plexus injuries in deliveries complicated with shoulder dystocia was 73% prePROBE compared to 17% in the late postPROBE group (p > 0.05). The dominant maneuver to solve the shoulder dystocia changed from posterior arm extraction to internal rotation of the anterior shoulder between the pre and postPROBE groups. The staff questionnaire showed how the majority of the staff (48-62%) felt more confident when handling a shoulder dystocia after PROBE training. A model of facilitating relational reflection adopted seems to provide ways of keeping the collaboration and learning in the interprofessional team clearly focused.

CONCLUSIONS

To introduce and sustain a shoulder dystocia training program for delivery staff improved clinical outcome. The impaired management and outcome of this rare, emergent and unexpectedly event might be explained by the learning effect in the debriefing model, clearly focused on the team and related to daily clinical practice.