Sentinel Event Alert issued on maternal deaths--ED plays important role in prevention

Maternal deaths are a serious enough issue that The Joint Commission recently put out a Sentinel Event Alert with several suggested actions, with one specifically addressing the ED. Educate your staff about the fact that any woman of child-bearing age, regardless of presenting symptoms, might be pregnant or might recently have been pregnant. Adopt a policy that any female of child-bearing age who presents with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding receives a pregnancy test. Ensure that any patient with a complaint referable to pregnancy goes to labor and delivery for a stress test and continuous monitoring.