Sunday, June 28, 2009
Hall A (San Diego Convention Center)
Christine Fuhrmann, RNC-OB , Labor and Delivery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Shawna Robertson, RNC-OB , Labor and Delivery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Development of a dedicated cesarean section team

The Labor & Delivery Nursing Team at Baylor University Medical Center identified the need to improve the timeliness of the scheduled cases while improving the functionality of running multiple operating rooms concurrently. They also identified that a dedicated cesarean section team would ultimately provide safe passage for the maternal couplet. A multidisciplinary team developed a plan to dedicate staff for daily scheduled cesarean sections. The dedicated staff consisted of a circulating RN, scrub personnel and CRNA. The circulating RN coordinates the pre-admission process including contacting the patient prior to admission and gathering lab results for the scheduled surgery.  This process has allowed the Labor & Delivery RNs to focus on their laboring patients rather than circulating scheduled cesarean sections. By providing a dedicated team to circulate/scrub scheduled cases we improved patient, nursing, and physician satisfaction as well as patient outcomes.