Risk management in pregnancy termination

This chapter reminds those who provide abortion services that crises are inevitable in the medical, counselling and administrative areas of the facility. After more than 10 years of providing safe, legal abortions, the author notes that the different types of crises that occur are already known and that it is possible to prepare for them. Indeed, it is necessary to prepare for a crisis before it occurs. The essence of crisis management is to: (a) identify each possible crisis and prepare a plan to cope with it, (b) train personnel to avert and/or manage a crisis, and to be sure that this training is carried out at appropriate intervals to provide sufficient trained staff at all times and (c) have on hand an up-to-date, adequate stock of the appropriate supplies and equipment to deal with medical and other emergencies. Four crisis management 'dicta' are given: Prepare yourself, your personnel, and your facility to be able to handle crisis. When a medical crisis, as listed, has occurred, the patient should be rapidly transported to the hospital and observed there for a suitable period of time. A medical crisis must be treated as the life-threatening event that it is, regardless of personal ego damage, social disruptions and/or financial considerations. The more personnel trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the better.