Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Jul;116(1):63-66.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181e42220.

Improvement in documentation using an electronic checklist for shoulder dystocia deliveries

Shad H Deering  1 , Kyle Tobler, Rebecca Cypher
Affiliations

Improvement in documentation using an electronic checklist for shoulder dystocia deliveries

Shad H Deering et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate if using an electronic checklist improved the documentation of shoulder dystocias that occurred at our institution.

Methods: A standard checklist of key elements that should be included in the delivery note after a shoulder dystocia was added to the electronic delivery note at our institution. We identified shoulder dystocia deliveries from the department's delivery database for 3 years before and after the checklist was included and compared delivery notes written from these time periods with respect to their content.

Results: Forty-six shoulder dystocia deliveries were identified before the checklist being available and 82 after. There was a significant increase noted in the frequency with which several elements were documented after the checklist was implemented including McRoberts maneuver (before checklist 69%, compared with after checklist 90%, P=.003), head-to-body interval (22% compared with 84%, P<.001), which shoulder was anterior (48% compared with 96%, P<.001), and if the neonate was moving its arms after delivery (50% compared with 93%, P<.001).

Conclusion: Use of a standard checklist for shoulder dystocia in the delivery note resulted in a significant improvement in the documentation of several critical elements.

Level of evidence: II.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mavroforou A, Koumantakis E, Michalodimitrakis E. Physicians' liability in obstetric and gynecology practice. Med Law 2005;24:1–9.
    1. Minkin MJ. A no-fault approach to shoulder dystocia. Contemporary OB/GYN 2004;49:48–50.
    1. Gurewitsch ED, Allen RH. Shoulder dystocia. Clin Perinatol 2007;34:365–85.
    1. Clark SL, Belfort MA, Byrum SL, Meyers JA, Perlin JB. Improved outcomes, fewer cesarean deliveries and reduced litigation: results of a new paradigm in patient safety. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;199:105.e1–7.
    1. Deering S, Poggi S, Hodor J, Macedonia C, Satin AJ. Evaluation of residents' delivery notes after a simulated shoulder dystocia. Obstet Gynecol 2004;104:667–70.

LinkOut - more resources