Cross-Disciplinary Perceptions of Structured Interprofessional Rounds in Promoting Teamwork Within an Academic Tertiary Care Obstetric Unit.

BACKGROUND: In 2005, physician and nursing leaders at Brigham and Women's Hospital initiated structured interprofessional rounds (SIPRs) on the labor and delivery (L&D) suite to improve team communication. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of providers' perceptions of SIPRs and their effectiveness in improving teamwork. We hypothesized that on average, providers would perceive SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork, but ratings would differ among professional groups. METHODS: After a factor analysis and internal consistency assessment, a 19-item paper-based questionnaire was used to evaluate providers' perceptions using a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents included L&D nurses, midwives, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists who participate in SIPRs. The primary aim was to evaluate the providers' perceptions of SIPRs and their association with professional roles. The outcome was total response score for each provider, ranging from 19 to 95; perception of SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork was defined as having a total response score of >66.5 (mean score, >3.5 per question). A univariable linear regression model was performed, followed by a multivariable analysis adjusting for predictors that modified the outcome; predictors included years of professional practice, years of experience on the L&D suite, number of clinical work hours worked weekly, and principal shift assignment among nurses. The associations between these predictors and providers' perceptions were assessed as a secondary aim. RESULTS: A total of 234 practitioners responded (100% response rate). The mean total response score (SD) for all providers was 73.3 (9.5). After multivariable adjustment, the mean total response scores were significantly higher for obstetric providers than for anesthesia (Δ mean, 6.5, 95% CI, 0.3, 12.7 P = .036) and midwifery (Δ mean, 12.5, 95% CI, 2.0, 23.0, P = .009) providers. Providers scored significantly lower if they worked >60 clinical hours per week compared with ≤20 (Δ mean, -13.7, 95% CI, -25.3, -2.1, P = .009), 21-40 (Δ mean, -8.0, 95% CI, -15.8, -0.09, P = .049), or 41-60 hours (Δ mean, -8.1, 95% CI, -14.5, -1.7, P = .004). Duration of practice in professional role and experience on the L&D suite were not predictive of SIPRs ratings. CONCLUSIONS: On average, providers on the L&D suite perceive SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork. Perception ratings were significantly influenced by professional role and number of clinical hours worked weekly, suggesting that these factors should be explored in future research to minimize perception gaps and support a dynamic culture of interprofessional collaboration.

Barriers to pediatric disaster triage: a qualitative investigation.

BACKGROUND: In disasters, paramedics often triage victims, including children. Little is known about obstacles paramedics face when performing pediatric disaster triage. OBJECTIVE: To determine obstacles to pediatric disaster triage performance for paramedics enrolled in a simulation-based disaster curriculum. DESIGN: We conducted a qualitative evaluation of paramedics' self-reported obstacles to pediatric disaster triage performance. The paramedics were enrolled in a pediatric disaster triage curriculum at one of three study sites. An individually administered, semi-structured debriefing was created iteratively, and used after a 10-victim, multiple-family house fire simulation. The debriefings were audio-recorded, and transcribed. Two investigators independently analyzed the transcripts. Using grounded theory strategy, the data were analyzed via 1) immersion and coding of data, 2) clustering of codes to generate themes, and 3) theme-based generation of hypotheses. While analyzing the data, we employed peer debriefing to determine emerging codes, groups, and thematic saturation. Systematically applied data trustworthiness strategies included triangulation and member checking. RESULTS: A total of 34 participants were debriefed, with prehospital care experience ranging from 1 to 25 years of experience. We identified several barriers to pediatric disaster triage: 1) lack of familiarity with children and their physiology, 2) challenges with triaging children with special health-care needs, 3) emotional reactions to triage situations, including a mother holding an injured/dead child, and 4) training limitations, including poor simulation fidelity. CONCLUSION: Paramedics report particular difficulty triaging multiple child disaster victims due to emotional obstacles, unfamiliarity with pediatric physiology, and struggles with triage rationale and efficiency.

Contemporary management of monochorionic diamniotic twins: outcomes and delivery recommendations revisited.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate outcomes of contemporaneously managed monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins, stratified by pregnancy complication. STUDY DESIGN: Four hundred eighteen MCDA pregnancies from 2001 through 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: There were 236 ongoing pregnancies at 24 weeks' gestation. The likelihood of progressing from 24 weeks to 2 live births was 98.7% in uncomplicated pregnancies, 89.7% with twin-twin transfusion syndrome, and 100% with growth discordance, increasing at 32 weeks to 99.5%, 93.8%, and 100%, respectively. The relative risk (RR) of birth <32 weeks was significantly greater in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (RR, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 2.7-6.1) and growth discordant (RR, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-3.8) pregnancies than in uncomplicated pregnancies (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: This represents one of the largest cohorts of MCDA twins. The risk of third-trimester fetal loss was low. The likelihood of both intrauterine fetal demise and preterm birth were greater in complicated pregnancies. In the absence of a clinical indication for delivery, these data do not support elective preterm delivery for prevention of intrauterine fetal demise in uncomplicated MCDA twins.

A comparison of subjective and mathematical estimations of fetal heart rate variability.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a computerized algorithm to quantify fetal heart rate (FHR) variability and compare it to perinatologists' interpretation of FHR variability. METHODS: FHR variability was calculated using data from 30 women who had a fetal scalp electrode placed for a clinical indication, and compared to the assessment of FHR variability from four perinatologists who interpreted paper tracings of the same data. Inter-rater reliability was calculated and receiver-operator curve analysis was done. RESULTS: Correlation between the computer algorithm's assessment of variability and the perinatologists' assessment (0.27-0.68) was similar to the inter-rater reliability between perinatologists (0.33-0.72). CONCLUSIONS: A computer-based algorithm can assess FHR variability as well as expert clinicians.

Spontaneous reduction before 12 weeks' gestation and selective reduction similarly extend time to delivery in in vitro fertilization of trichorionic-triamniotic triplets.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and the relative benefits conferred by selective and spontaneous reduction of one or more fetuses in trichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancies on time to delivery. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENT(S): IVF patients with trichorionic triamniotic triplets between January 1998 and December 2007. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Gestational length at time of delivery. RESULT(S): Selective reduction to twins was used in 87 of the 153 (56.9%) triplet pregnancies that did not spontaneously reduce prior to <12 weeks, and was associated with longer gestation (13.9 days) with a fourfold greater likelihood of delivery at ≥ 34 weeks' gestation (odds ratio [OR], 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2-8.6), compared with pregnancies not undergoing selective reduction. Compared with ongoing triplets, spontaneous reduction at <12 weeks' gestation (28 cases) was associated with longer gestation (13.7 days) and significantly greater likelihood delivering at or after 34 weeks' gestation (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.4-9.9). CONCLUSION(S): Selective reduction of one fetus was used in 56.9% of patients in this population. Early spontaneous reduction (<12 weeks) and selective reduction to twins each conferred similar benefits by extending time to delivery and increasing the likelihood of delivery at or after 34 weeks' gestation.

Impact of selective reduction of the monochorionic pair in in vitro fertilization triplet pregnancies on gestational length.

In this retrospective cohort of IVF-conceived triplets complicated by a monochorionic pair (n = 21), selective reduction of the pair to a singleton pregnancy was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of delivery at ≥34 weeks. On average, reduction of the pair was associated with 52 days longer gestation.