OPTIMIZING TRANSFER FROM MIDWIFERY-LED COMMUNITY BIRTH TO THE HOSPITAL
EMS & MIDWIFERY TEAM PROTOCOL
COMING SOON!
WHEN ONGOING INTER-PROFESSIONAL DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION OCCUR,
EVERYONE BENEFITS
— HOMEBIRTH SUMMIT TASK FORCE
We believe collaboration within an integrated maternity care system is essential for optimal midwifery-led community birth-to-hospital transfer outcomes.
All women, birthing people, newborns, and families planning a home or birth center birth have a right to respectful, safe, seamless consultation, referral, transport, and transfer of care when necessary.
A clear EMS protocol is needed to outline the unique aspects of community birth transfers between providers. EMS and midwives should be trained on this protocol, post-transfer debriefs should take place, and data should be recorded to continuously improve the process.
STORKLIFT
FAQs - LEARN ABOUT STORKLIFT
HOW IT CAN IMPROVE OUTCOMES?
What are the barriers to optimal transfers?
MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN TEAMS ON THE ROLES AND SCOPE OF EACH MEMBER.
MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE SEVERITY OF THE PATIENT’S CONDITION.
MISUNDERSTANDING OF BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR MATERNAL-NEWBORN CARE DURING THE IMMEDIATE POSTPARTUM PERIOD.
MISUNDERSTANDING OF APPROPRIATE HOSPITALS TO TRANSFER PATIENTS TO SO THEY CAN RECEIVE THE HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE THEY NEED FOR THEIR CONDITION.
What resources are being used for the research and development of this program?
MANY RESOURCES HAVE BEEN GATHERED AND ARE ALSO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA MATERNAL QUALITY CARE COLLABORATIVE (CMQCC) - COMMUNITY BIRTH PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE. OUR GOAL IS TO COMBINE OUR EMS-MIDWIFE TEAM INITIATIVE WITH THE CQMCC MIDWIFE-HOSPITAL TEAM INITIATIVE TO CREATE A COHESIVE PLAN FOR OPTIMAL TRANSFER CARE IN OUR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES.
What causes the most sentinel events during transfer? Ineffective Neonatal Care - NRP is very different than PALS and BLS
INAPPROPRIATE FOCUS ON COMPRESSIONS DURING RESUSCITATION VS VENTILATIONS
WRONG RATE OF VENTILATIONS OR COMPRESSIONS - VENTILATIONS.
MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NEWBORN THERMOREGULATION.
NOT TRANSFERRING THE NEWBORN WITH THE BIRTHING PARENT SKIN-SKIN.
NO LMAS AND/OR OTHER NEWBORN RESUSCITATION EQUIPMENT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE RIG or USED BY EMS PERSONNEL DUE TO SCOPE OF PRACTICE LIMITATIONS.
MISCONCEPTION THAT MIDWIVES ARE NOT LICENSED & TRAINED PROVIDERS OF NRP AND DO NOT CARRY ALL MATERNAL AND NEONATAL EQUIPMENT TO EVERY BIRTH.
UNWILLINGNESS OF MIDWIVES TO PREPARE TO TRANSPORT WITH THEIR CLIENTS IN THE DYAD. UNWILLINGNESS FOR EMS TO INCLUDE THE MIDWIVES IN THE CARE PROVIDED ON THE RIG DURING TRANSFER.
MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF MIDWIVES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSFER TO EQUAL OR HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE - UNABLE TO ABANDON CLIENTS.
LACK OF CONTINUITY OF CARE, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR SAFE AND LESS TRAUMATIC TRANSFER FROM THE COMMUNITY TO THE HOSPITAL - A VERY BIG CHANGE FOR CLIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND PRACTITIONERS IN BOTH SETTINGS.
What are the goals of STORKLIFT?
EDUCATION FOR BOTH MIDWIVES AND EMS ON THE TWO DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS - MODELS OF CARE, LICENSURE, EDUCATION, SCOPE OF PRACTICE, HIERARCHY, AND PROTOCOLS - BEST PRACTICE MATERNAL NEWBORN GUIDELINES.
DEVELOP COORDINATION OF CARE WITH A ONE-WORD PROTOCOL ( LIKE CODE BLUE IS USED IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING - “STORKLIFT”) TO IMPROVE TIMELY TRANSFER AND TO OPTIMIZE ROLE RECOGNITION AND COMMUNICATION.
IMPLEMENT A DEBRIEF STEP FOR EVERY TRANSFER - ESPECIALLY SENTINEL EVENTS - BETWEEN ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS.
CREATE A DATABASE OF COUNTIES IN CA THAT COMPLETE THE TRAINING AND ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM.
Who will be on the task force?
THE PILOT PROGRAM OF STORKLIFT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE LARGEST COUNTY IN THE USA - SAN BERNARDINO, CA, AS WELL AS RIVERSIDE, CA - INLAND EMPIRE. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TASK FORCE WILL CONSIST OF EMS PROFESSIONALS, MIDWIVES, AND STUDENTS.
When will this program begin?
THE PILOT PROGRAM HAS BEGUN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEAM, OUTLINE OF TASKS, AND REQUEST FOR GRANT FUNDING. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE ONLINE TRAINING BEGINNING BY JANUARY 2025 AND ONSITE TRAINING IN THE SPRING 2025.
