Shoulder dystocia documentation: an evaluation of a documentation training intervention

To evaluate the quality and content of nurse and physician shoulder dystocia delivery documentation before and after MORE training in shoulder dystocia management skills and documentation.

Approximately 384 charts at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus involving a diagnosis of shoulder dystocia between the years of 2000 and 2006 excluding the training year of 2003 were identified. The charts were evaluated for 14 key components derived from a validated instrument. The delivery notes were then scored based on these components by 2 separate investigators who were blinded to delivery note author, date, and patient identification to further quantify delivery record quality.

Approximately 346 charts were reviewed for physician and nurse delivery documentation. The average score for physician notes was 6 (maximum possible score of 14) both before and after the training intervention. The nurses' average score was 5 before and after the training intervention.

Negligible improvement was observed in the content and quality of shoulder dystocia documentation before and after nurse and physician training.