Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics
Encyclopedia
Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) is a program developed by The American Academy of Family Physicians
(AAFP). This course helps physicians, certified nurse midwife
s (CNM), OBGYN Registered Nurses, and other health care providers involved in potential emergencies in perinatal care of mothers. This course is important and even required in some hospitals for family practice physicians and well as a learning tool in most family practice residencies. ALSO was developed at University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine
by Dr. Damos and John W. Beasley M.D.
ALSO helps in the management and to help with morbidity and mortality of both the mother and baby. ALSO does this by incorporating both didactic and practical, hands on workstations with life-like mannequins . Topics include, assisted vaginal delivery, Doppler fetal monitor
ing, fetal dystocia
s, neonatal resuscitation, management premature labor, management of postpartum hemorrhage
, along with Forceps
and vacuum
assisted delivery. ALSO concludes, and to become certified in ALSO, you must successful pass a written test as well as a practical hands on case management of a birth (mega-delivery) incorporating many elements learned throughout the course.
ALSO helps serve the same function as Advanced Trauma Life Support
(ATLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support
(ACLS) to help keep physicians who work with rural or underserved populations up to date on Evidence-based medicine
and curriculum.
American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians was founded in 1947 to promote the science and art of family medicine. It is one of the largest medical organizations in the United States, with over 100,000 members...
(AAFP). This course helps physicians, certified nurse midwife
Nurse midwife
In the United States, a Certified Nurse-Midwife is an Advanced Practice Nurse who has specialized education and training in both Nursing and Midwifery. CNM's function as primary healthcare providers for women and most often provide medical care for relatively healthy women, whose birth is...
s (CNM), OBGYN Registered Nurses, and other health care providers involved in potential emergencies in perinatal care of mothers. This course is important and even required in some hospitals for family practice physicians and well as a learning tool in most family practice residencies. ALSO was developed at University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
by Dr. Damos and John W. Beasley M.D.
ALSO helps in the management and to help with morbidity and mortality of both the mother and baby. ALSO does this by incorporating both didactic and practical, hands on workstations with life-like mannequins . Topics include, assisted vaginal delivery, Doppler fetal monitor
Doppler fetal monitor
Invented in 1958 by Dr. Edward H. Hon a Doppler fetal monitor or Doppler fetal heart rate monitor is a hand-held ultrasound transducer used to detect the heart beat of a fetus for prenatal care. It uses the Doppler effect to provide an audible simulation of the heart beat. Some models also...
ing, fetal dystocia
Dystocia
Dystocia is an abnormal or difficult childbirth or labour. Approximately one fifth of human labours have dystocia.Dystocia may arise due to incoordinate uterine activity, abnormal fetal lie or presentation, absolute or relative cephalopelvic disproportion, or a massive fetal tumor such as a...
s, neonatal resuscitation, management premature labor, management of postpartum hemorrhage
Postpartum hemorrhage
Hemorrhage after delivery, or postpartum hemorrhage, is the loss of greater than 500 ml of blood following vaginal delivery, or 1000 ml of blood following cesarean section...
, along with Forceps
Forceps
Forceps or forcipes are a handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Forceps are used when fingers are too large to grasp small objects or when many objects need to be held at one time while the hands are used to perform a task. The term 'forceps' is used almost exclusively...
and vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
assisted delivery. ALSO concludes, and to become certified in ALSO, you must successful pass a written test as well as a practical hands on case management of a birth (mega-delivery) incorporating many elements learned throughout the course.
ALSO helps serve the same function as Advanced Trauma Life Support
Advanced Trauma Life Support
Advanced Trauma Life Support is a training program for medical doctors in the management of acute trauma cases, developed by the American College of Surgeons. Similar programs exist for nurses and paramedics...
(ATLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Advanced cardiac life support
Advanced cardiac life support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support refers to a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest and other life threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions.Extensive medical knowledge...
(ACLS) to help keep physicians who work with rural or underserved populations up to date on Evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based medicine or evidence-based practice aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to clinical decision making. It seeks to assess the strength of evidence of the risks and benefits of treatments and diagnostic tests...
and curriculum.