Competency Maintenance in Shoulder Dystocia July Release Available

Aug. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Advanced Practice Strategies (APS), a leading provider of education solutions for risk management and patient safety, today announced the release of the Competency Maintenance (CM) module in Shoulder Dystocia: Identifying Risk Factors and Recognizing Injuries. APS’s CM courses are a series of monthly reviews designed to keep clinicians’ skills sharp and to help them ensure the quality of care delivered. This month’s CM focuses on the mechanics of shoulder dystocia.

Each Obstetric CM module stresses the clinical management of a case that involves team communication, care coordination, and key obstetric principles by placing clinicians into a complex medical scenario in which they will assess fetal heart rate tracings, interact with patients and team members, and make important clinical decisions. Each choice helps to identify potential gaps in the learner’s knowledge, and the module will provide a personalized learning path to help close those gaps. This month’s module involves the care of a 41 year-old multiparous woman at 39 6/7 weeks gestation who has presented in labor. In this scenario, clinicians must counsel a patient about her risk of having a shoulder dystocia. They are probed for their knowledge of should dystocia and its risk factors, possible fetal and maternal complications as well as the clinical evaluation necessary before deciding whether or not to intervene.

“The APS Competency Maintenance series helps clinicians ensure their knowledge base remains current. Perhaps more importantly, it also provides an opportunity to practice applying what they know in a variety of complex, clinical situations—a critical skill, when not reinforced, becomes a major factor leading to adverse outcomes and litigation,” said Dr. Martin November, APS Chief Medical Officer. “This month’s module focuses on Managing Shoulder Dystocia and specifically, identifying key risk factors and counseling patients about potential complications. If done correctly, these two actions allow clinicians to reduce the likelihood a woman or her baby will suffer permanent injury from a shoulder dystocia as well as avoid exposing themselves unnecessarily to potential litigation.”  

Each module from the CM series provides a one half-hour case based interactions developed to reinforce and evolve a clinician’s understanding of the principles outlined in Advanced Fetal Assessment and Monitoring (AFAM), Managing Shoulder Dystocia, Operative Vaginal Delivery, and other APS courses by applying this knowledge in challenging circumstances.  The content reemphasizes concepts from the courses as well as introduces new material by presenting a context of complex medical scenarios that highlight pertinent clinical issues and applicable national standards.

For more information about Competency Maintenance modules, released monthly, visit the APS website www.aps-web.com or contact an APS representative.

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About APS
Advanced Practice Strategies (APS) is dedicated to improving the lives of both patients and their caregivers through effective, innovative education solutions. APS’s flexible, state-of-the-art eLearning program has helped hospitals and clinicians reduce risk and enhance patient safety across the country. APS’s Demonstrative Evidence Group is the nation's leading provider of visual strategies and materials for courtroom defense against medical malpractice claims. Strategic partners include the Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions and the Hospital Corporation of America. APS is headquartered in Boston, MA. For more information, visit www.aps-web.com.

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