Management of the Critically Ill Obstetric Patient

Not all pregnancies are free of complications.

The comprehensive two-day programme has been updated to develop and enhance midwives' skills, knowledge and understanding of the management of the critically ill woman.

"M&K Update courses are excellent, I will be using them again!"

"Highly recommendable."

"Very stimulating and covered a broad range of topics."

Past course delegates, June 2014

Medical disorders and the critically ill woman

• Cardiac and respiratory
• Renal, hepatic and endocrine
• Haematological - thromboembolism in pregnancy
• Hypertensive disorders - pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP syndrome
• Haemorrhagic - major ante and post-partum haemorrhage, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) - pathophysiology, predisposing factors and presentation

Understanding shock - assessment of hypovolaemic, cardiogenic, anaphylactic and septic shock

Fluid balance and management - use of blood products and fluid replacement

Critical care monitoring

• Oxygen saturation and pulse oximetry
• ECGs - monitoring and recognising life-threatening arrhythmia
• Non-invasive blood pressure monitoring

Peripheral venous cannulation, arterial cannulation, central venous cannulation and central venous pressure monitoring and pulmonary artery pressure monitoring

Anaesthesia and resuscitation

• Physiological changes of pregnancy and anaesthesia, postanaesthesic complications
• Overview of current European Resuscitation Council guidelines

Transferring the critically ill patient

Assessing need for transfer and communicating with: accepting unit, the transfer team, the patient and their relatives

Physiology of patient movement and stabilisation prior to movement

Clinical considerations and modes for transport equipment and monitoring, the clinical handover

Why women die - clinical case studies

• Understand and enhance early-recognition skills and knowledge
• Develop patient management skills of the critically ill obstetric patient

• Midwives - view related courses
• Nurses - view related courses
• Operating Department Practitioners - view related courses
• Doctors - view related courses