Pre-hospital Obstetric Emergency Training: The Practical Approach

The Pre-hospital Obstetric Emergency Training (POET)programme provides an introduction to the obstetric patient and theanatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy(including interpretation of patient-held records and rapidassessment of the obstetric patient). It includes clear definitionsand describes risk factors, diagnosis and pre-hospital managementof significant problems that occur in both early and late pregnancyand the immediate postnatal period. These are all situations thatthe pre-hospital practitioner may attend.

This text and the accompanying integrated on-line and‘hands on’ course will help practitioners identify andmanage a range of time-critical obstetric emergencies specificallyin the pre-hospital setting, and provides a structured examinationand assessment technique as an aid to determining what treatmentshould be provided before transport, as well as when and howurgently transport should be initiated.

POET is of relevance to paramedics, ambulance staff, doctors,and nurses working in the emergency pre-hospital setting and tomidwives facilitating home births. It will also be of considerablevalue to medical and nursing practitioners working in EmergencyDepartments and unscheduled care settings where immediate access toskilled obstetric assistance is not available.

Advanced Life Support Group, Manchester, UK