Program Information

Step Up Together Drill Kits support interdisciplinary clinical teams to run emergency drills involving patient hand-offs and/or transport to a higher level facility. Each Drill Kit can be used to run a Full Transfer Drill that tests the full, interdisciplinary process of care or a Partial Transfer Drill that involves running just one segment of the scenario (e.g. before transfer or after hospital hand-off). Toolkits include a standardized high-fidelity case designed to test the process of transferring a birthing person or newborn from one location to another with an interdisciplinary team involved in the care.  Teams will use observation criteria and a Debriefing and Action Guide to elicit continuous improvement of interdisciplinary care processes and promote respectful care along the continuum.

Teams from hospitals, home birth practices, and birth centers may engage EMS to implement a drill kits of their choice from the following options: Shoulder Dystocia, Birth with Postpartum Hemorrhage, Breech Presentation in Labor with Doula Present, Cord Prolapse, Severe Range Blood Pressure in Pregnant Patient, Neonatal Respiratory Distress, First Stage Bradycardia, Retained Placenta with Doula Present.

Acknowledgement of Support

Primary Maternity Care would like to thank the Skyline Foundation for providing a grant via contract with National Association of Certified Professional Midwives to help develop and execute this program.

Target Audience

This activity is appropriate for the following audiences:

• Nurses
• Physicians
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Associates/Assistants
• Other Members of the Care Team

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to do the following:

• Review ways to promote person-focused care during emergencies.
• Identify the need for a higher level of care and initiate appropriate hospital transfer.
• Practice collaboration that adheres to relevant transfer protocols with warm hand-offs across levels of care.
• Communicate effectively, and with dignity to the patient, support people, and additional healthcare personnel in the event of an intrapartum, postpartum or neonatal transfer.
• Use debriefing skills to promote equity and ensure integration of individual and collective learning.