OPTIMIZING PROVIDER - PROVIDER AMBULANCE TRANSPORT
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 transport 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 to a higher level of care when necessary.
A clear EMS protocol is needed to outline the unique aspects of community birth transports between providers. EMS and midwives should be trained on this protocol, post-transport 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 transports?
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?
RESOURCES FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE BEST TRANSPORT GUIDELINES. OUR PROTOCOL WILL BEGIN IN CALIFORNIA AND BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE GOALS OF THE CALIFORNIA MATERNAL QUALITY CARE COLLABORATIVE (CMQCC) - COMMUNITY BIRTH PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE.
What contributes to maternal newborn sentinel events during transport?
INAPPROPRIATE NRP - 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.
LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF LMAS AND/OR OTHER NEWBORN RESUSCITATION EQUIPMENT ON THE RIG AND EMS SCOPE OF PRACTICE LIMITATIONS THAT DON’T ALLOW THE USE OF MOST OF THE NECESSARY NRP EQUIPMENT
UNWILLINGNESS FOR EMS TO INCLUDE THE MIDWIVES IN THE CARE PROVIDED ON THE RIG DURING TRANSFER - EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE LICENSED & TRAINED, INDEPENDENT PROVIDERS FOR THE CLIENTS AND THEY REGULARLY TRAIN IN NRP AND BIRTH EMERGENCIES (AND CARRY ALL MATERNAL AND NEONATAL EQUIPMENT TO EVERY BIRTH).
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.
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 INTERDISCIPLINARY TASK FORCE WILL HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUNDS: COMMUNITY BIRTH FAMILIES, EDUCATION, EMS/FIRE, HEALTHCARE POLICY, LAW, MEDICINE, MIDWIFERY, AND RESEARCH
