An audit on the completeness of partogramsin two obstetric units in two separate teaching hospitals in Sri Lanka

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A systematic approach to labour is needed to make sure serious mistakes and variations are not made in management and cost effectiveness maintained. . We undertook an audit in two separate teaching hospital settings to assess thecompleteness of partogram maintenance in labour. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of partograms were done in non consecutive bed head tickets from January to April 2016. The research was conducted at Obstetric wards in the Colombo North Teaching Hospital and Colombo South Teaching Hospital. Annonymised data were entered into a database.RESULTS: A total of 72 and 81 bed head tickets were analysed in the two wards postnatal sections respectively. The completed partogram was available in 48 (66.7%) and 59 (72.8%) respectively with completeness of personal data as follows; name (100%, 97.5%), age (100%, 98.8%) parity (100%, 91.7%), bed head ticket (100%, 100%) and blood group (91.6%, 96.3%). Interpartum labour monitoring was documented as follows; fetal heart sounds (100%, 70.4%), contraction (37.5%, 43.2%), dilation (54.1%, 35.8%), alert and action lines (50%, 42%), descent (12.5%, 14.8%), liquor (50%, 66.7%), position (8.3%, 12.3%), caput (12.5%, 8.6%), and molding (8.3%, 4.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Both maternal and labour parameters show high levels of incompleteness which destroys the true use of a partogram which is early identification and prompt intervention in the instance of maternal or labour complications.