Clinical skills training in obstetrics - a descriptive survey of current practice in Denmark

The Danish National Board of Health has recommended that labor wards establish regular obstetric emergency skills training programs. The aim of this study was to describe current practice in Denmark. A questionnaire was sent to all obstetric departments in Denmark in 2008. All responded. Simulation-based training was conducted in 26/28 obstetrical departments. Settings for the training programs were mainly local. Training was provided for shoulder dystocia, postpartum bleeding and basic neonatal resuscitation in almost all the departments, but was not organized in a uniform way. Neither the program itself nor the participants' performance was evaluated in a structured or validated way. Obstetric emergency skills training is being actively conducted in the majority of the Danish labor wards. However, it still remains a challenge to ensure the uniform organization and evaluation of the current training programs. Development of validated national or international standards for an obstetric training program should be a future aim.