MNSI safety spotlight: Calling for help in obstetric cardiac arrests

Summary

This Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) safety spotlight focuses on delays in calling the emergency team during obstetric cardiac arrests.

Content

Safety prompts:

• Do you have a separate obstetric or maternal cardiac arrest call in your hospital?
• In all areas of the hospital where a pregnant woman may be receiving care, how do staff know which emergency obstetric bleep calls are available, including how to get help in a maternal cardiac arrest? Are there any visual aids, for example near the telephone, to support the correct wording for each recognised emergency ‘2222’ call?
• How do call operators at switchboard confirm with ‘2222’ call makers that a recognised emergency call is being made?
• How do staff know which clinicians will be receiving the ‘2222’ bleep?
• Does the ‘2222’ bleep call in an obstetric cardiac arrest summon all members of the team who are immediately required, including senior team members, in one call?
• Do annual resuscitation training updates for each staff group highlight the differences between adult (non-pregnant) and maternal cardiac arrest protocols and calls?
• When an obstetric cardiac arrest occurs in any area, how do you ensure that all members of the cardiac arrest team and the maternal cardiac arrest team can access that area, without delays?