Preparing Perinatal Nurses for Obstetric OR Emergencies by Using Simulations.

A cesarean hysterectomy (CH) is an emergency procedure that can save a woman's life in the event of postpartum hemorrhaging. If the CH is anticipated, it can take place in the general OR; however, more complex patients with multiple comorbidities are undergoing cesarean deliveries, resulting in unanticipated CHs and emergent procedures occurring in the obstetric OR. Many perinatal nurses believe they are not properly trained to provide the level of perioperative care required during a CH. Perinatal nurse leaders implemented a perinatal perioperative simulation program to address this knowledge gap. Feedback from perinatal nurses after completing the simulation revealed they gained a comprehensive understanding of the flow of the procedure and the instrumentation needed to perform it. The simulation also improved communication and leadership skills in the obstetric OR. Simulations may help perinatal nurses provide safer, higher quality care when a delivery develops into a high-risk operative procedure.