Let’s Rock and Roll Baby! Strengthening Skills to Deliver Basic Obstetric Care in Sudden Onset Disasters

Abstract

Introduction:

In 2017 the New Zealand Medical Assistance Team (NZMAT) were verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an Emergency Medical Team Type 1. During the verification process, the WHO highlighted the need for further NZMAT capability in the specialty areas of reproductive, sexual, and maternal health. The NZMAT consists of doctors and nurses from many different clinical subspecialties but with a predominance of emergency and rural medicine or general practice. Due to the subspecialist nature of hospital medicine in the New Zealand environment most GPs, emergency physicians, and nurses have very little exposure to normal labor and birth in their day-to-day work and limited exposure to obstetric complications.

Methods:

To increase the knowledge and skill level of the NZMAT, a two day Basic Emergency Obstetric Care (BEOC) course was designed by Kass Jane, a midwifery educator, researcher, and member of NZMAT, in consultation with the NZMAT Clinical Director Emma Lawrey.

Results:

This presentation will outline the curriculum design, the course delivery, and the feedback from participants on this inaugural BEOC for the NZMAT, as well as the findings of a post-course review and plans for further BEOC courses for NZMAT members.

Discussion:

This presentation will address why courses of this type have value, especially where the delivery of basic obstetric care in a low technology or austere environment may translate into skills for other Australian clinicians wishing to work either in a humanitarian or developing world context.