Keywords

Elective labor induction, High-alert medication, Oxytocin, Perinatal patient safety, Standardization.

 

Authors

  1. O'Rourke, Terrence P. MD, FACS
  2. Girardi, Gerald J MD, FACOG
  3. Balaskas, Thomas N MD, FACOG
  4. Havlisch, Rebecca A JD, RN
  5. Landstrom, Gay MS, RN
  6. Kirby, Beth MSHL, CPHRM
  7. Knox, Eric G. MD
  8. Simpson, Kathleen Rice PhD, RNC, FAAN

Abstract

Standardization of key clinical protocols and policies in the inpatient obstetric setting has the potential to improve care processes, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes and decreased professional liability. Increasingly hospitals and healthcare systems are realizing benefits with adoption of standardization as a strategy for quality care improvement. We describe successful system-wide development and implementation of a policy for labor induction including avoidance of elective births before 39 completed weeks of gestation and standardization of various aspects of the labor induction process, with the goal of providing safer care.