Using a Cell Phone Application to Increase Nurse Confidence and Adherence to Policies

Proposed Change To increase confidence and knowledge of the maternal-infant services (MIS) nurses on managing postpartum hemorrhage emergencies, the MIS Unit Practice Council (UPC) implemented a postpartum hemorrhage drill. Postpartum hemorrhage is the second leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in California and is the most frequently occurring emergency on the MIS unit. In 2014, a needs assessment was conducted on nurses of the MIS unit, and 59.5% indicated that managing patient emergencies was their top priority for education followed by postpartum hemorrhage. Implementation, Outcomes and Evaluation The MIS UPC members, clinical nurses, supervisors, educator, and clinical nurse specialist, developed and implemented the hemorrhage drill. The UPC members surveyed MIS staff about their knowledgeoncommunication and role assignments during an emergency. A hemorrhage scenario that focused on role assignments and communication techniques was developed. The drill was filmed and used for education. Postsurveys were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the education, and results demonstrated a significant increase in the nurses’ ability to practice closed loop communication and efficiency of team member performance.