Leveraging Clinical Ladder Nurses to Support an Education Program on Intraoperative Cell Salvage for Obstetric Patients

Postpartum hemorrhage continues to be a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States. With the use of appropriate screening tools and treatment modalities, most of these deaths are preventable. Various interventions are used to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage, though intraoperative cell salvage historically has been contraindicated in the obstetric setting. This article explores the implementation of intraoperative cell salvage in the obstetric setting at two campuses of a health care system with the assistance of nurses participating in a professional nurses advancement program (ie, a clinical ladder). The initiative comprised a literature review, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education planning and execution. The educational approach focused on adult learners and included both self-directed and instructor-led elements. Including clinical nurses in clinical education is beneficial because they are highly motivated to share evidence-based practice with their peers to elevate patient safety and quality measures, making them ideal education partners.