A survey of intrapartum fetal surveillance education practices in Victorian public hospitals.

BACKGROUND

The inappropriate use or interpretation of intrapartum fetal surveillance (IFS) continues to be a major contributor to adverse obstetric outcomes, suggesting that training in IFS is deficient. What professional education in intrapartum fetal surveillance currently exists in Victorian public hospitals is unknown.

AIMS

To map the current formal IFS education and competency assessment practices in Victorian public hospitals.

METHODS

A structured survey comprising 25 questions was developed and mailed to both a senior obstetric and a midwifery manager in all public maternity hospitals in Victoria. Non-respondents were followed up at 2 months.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty surveys were sent to 60 hospitals, of which 103 replies from 58 hospitals were received, representing a 97% hospital response rate. Only 19 (33%) of respondent hospitals had an existing education program. Hospitals with > 2000 births per annum were more likely to have a program than those with < 1000 births per annum (86% vs 23%, P=0.004). Of the 19 existing education programs, only nine contained any fetal physiology. All respondents thought that IFS education should be compulsory for relevant staff. Only six (10%) of the hospitals had any assessment of competency but 90% of respondents thought that such an assessment should be compulsory.

CONCLUSIONS

These data reveal important deficiencies in the provision and quality of current IFS education practices in Victoria, particularly in smaller and rural hospitals. However, these deficiencies seem to reflect a lack of opportunity rather than a lack of interest.