Postpartum Hemorrhage Preparedness Elements Vary Among Hospitals in New Jersey and Georgia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the presence or absence of 38 postpartum hemorrhage preparedness elements in hospitals in New Jersey and Georgia as a component of the Postpartum Hemorrhage Project of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

DESIGN: Quality improvement baseline assessment survey.

SETTING: Hospitals (N = 95) in New Jersey and Georgia.

PARTICIPANTS: Key informants were clinicians who were members of their hospitals' obstetric teams and were recognized as knowledgeable about their hospitals' postpartum hemorrhage policies.

METHODS: An electronic survey was sent by e-mail to each identified hospital's key informant.

RESULTS: The mean number of elements present was 23.1 (SD = 5.2; range = 12-34). Volume of births, students, magnet status, and other hospital characteristics did not predict preparedness. None of the hospitals had all of the 38 preparedness elements available. Less than 50% of the hospitals had massive hemorrhage protocols, performed risk assessments and drills, or measured blood loss. For every 10% increase in the total percentage of African American women who gave birth, there was a decrease of one preparedness element.

CONCLUSION: Objective measures of preparedness are needed, because perceptions of preparedness were inconsistent with the number of preparedness elements reported.