Advanced Training in Obstetric Anaesthesia.
Derriford Hospital is the Regional Tertiary Obstetric Unit which has approximately 4500 deliveries per year. The obstetric unit has previously received CNST Level 3 accreditation. We have a Consultant led obstetric anaesthetic service, offering a 24 hour PCEA epidural service for women in labour. The department aims for full multidisciplinary care with daily whole team board rounds as well as multidisciplinary training days for all obstetric staff. Currently the epidural rate is 42% with a 22% Caesarean Section rate. Fortnightly there is a Consultant led High Risk Obstetric Anaesthetic Clinic. All elective section lists are delivered by Consultant Anaesthetists or Advanced Trainees.
During your advanced training in obstetrics you would have the opportunity to become involved in all the practical aspects of obstetric anaesthesia and multidisciplinary care.
Knowledge and skills:
You would be expected to become competent in all clinical skills required for obstetric anaesthesia. You would be expected to attend the High Risk Anaesthetic Obstetric Clinic (attending several aiming for a solo clinic at the end of your placement) and undertake the elective LSCS lists. You would be expected to become involved in the multidisciplinary management of challenging cases both in antenatal planning as well as delivery.
In order to improve your understanding and knowledge of obstetrics you would be expected to:
Attend maternal foetal medicine clinic
Attend obstetric diabetic clinic
Attend obstetric clinic
Spend a morning with community midwife
Spend a day with a midwife on delivery suite
Spend a day on NICU
To improve your knowledge of current advanced and controversies in obstetric anaesthesia knowledge you would be encouraged to attend obstetric anaesthesia related courses as well as completing all your training requirements for the Advanced module.
Teaching and Training:
The unit provides teaching for all levels of anaesthetic trainees, from initial obstetric competencies for Core Trainees to providing Advanced Training Modules and successful one year Fellowships in Obstetric Anaesthesia. We provide special study modules for final year medical students and support the monthly multidisciplinary training of all members of the obstetric team.
We would expect you to take part in the departmental teaching by attending and then teaching on the PROMPT course, antenatal education sessions and finally mentoring and educating other anaesthetists.
Management and risk management:
As an advanced trainee you should try and gain some experience in management and risk management and you should try to:
Attend CTG meeting
Attend Clinical Effectiveness Committee meeting
Attend round table for incidents
Some involvement in root cause analysis
Assist in any obstetric anaesthetic incidents or complaints
Audit and Research:
There has been a recent increase in the number of research projects being undertaken within the department. There are two research midwives and we are currently recruiting for the multicenter SALVO trial as well as recruiting into locally driven research projects. We regularly present both posters and orally at international meetings.
During your module we would hope that you would be proactive in setting up your own research study and / or recruit onto the current studies. At the very least the expectation is that you should complete an obstetric anaesthetic related QI project.
For further enquiries please contact Liz Drake