BRI midwives hope to deliver top award (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Childbirth emergency course success puts Bradford Royal Infirmary colleagues on shortlist for nursing accolade

11:00am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News By Claire Lomax

Two Bradford midwives are in the running for a national nursing award after developing an out-of-hospital childbirth emergency training course.

Professional development midwife Caroline Booth and specialist midwife, Tina Mori, have been shortlisted for the emergency and critical care prize at the Nursing Times Awards 2012 for their management of out-of-hospital childbirth emergencies training.

The duo, who are based at Bradford Royal Infirmary, started the course in an effort to improve communication and develop a greater understanding of their healthcare colleagues’ roles and skills in dealing with emergencies.

Midwives, maternity support workers, paramedics and ambulance crews all take part in the simulated learning scenario courses, which are led by Caroline and Tina.

Tina said: “The teams simulate emergencies such as cord prolapse, major obstetric haemorrhage, eclampsia, sudden maternal collapse and the challenges facing us in the home in the absence of skilled obstetric or neonatal help.”

The emergency and critical care award will go to the team who have best demonstrated significant improvement in the quality of patient care in emergency or critical care settings at an awards ceremony, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London, on Wednesday, October 31.

Caroline said: “Being shortlisted for this national award is fantastic recognition for everyone who has been involved in the management of out-of-hospital childbirth emergencies training since it began in November 2007.

“Tina and I have had extremely positive feedback from all the health care professionals involved, and our own hospital staff have remarked that the training has increased their confidence in dealing with our colleagues – such as paramedics and ambulance staff – during these emergency situations.

“The most important factor for all of us is that this training aims at improving the outcomes for women and their babies, throughout the district, who find themselves in the daunting and often frightening position of delivering their baby at home in an emergency.”

The multi-professional management training of out-of-hospital childbirth emergencies is now part of annual compulsory training for the Foundation Trust’s community midwives and maternity support workers.