Looking for the second patient: current practice and opinion on pre-operative pregnancy testing in Western Australia.
BACKGROUND
To determine current hospital practices and the opinions of senior health professionals working in Western Australian (WA) hospitals performing gynaecological procedures regarding pre-operative pregnancy testing.


METHODS
Anonymous questionnaire survey sent to all WA public and private hospitals' senior clinical staff (38 units where gynaecological surgery was performed in WA).


RESULTS
Sixty-one senior health professionals (heads of department, medical directors, theatre nurse managers), completed the survey (estimated response rate 71%). Thirty-eight (68%) of respondents' units had guidelines for pre-operative pregnancy testing and 55% respondents worked in hospitals which tested all women of reproductive potential. Nineteen (33%) respondents reported cases in which patients had presented for surgery unaware they were pregnant. Forty-one (76%) respondents believed that all women of reproductive potential should have routine pre-operative pregnancy testing. Fifty-four (89%) supported the introduction of national or statewide guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
There are inconsistent processes of pre-operative assessment of pregnancy status in WA hospitals performing gynaecological surgery potentially resulting in adverse incidents. The majority of senior clinical staff surveyed supported routine pre-operative testing and the need for national or statewide guidelines.
King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Jared C
JC
Watts
Sabrina Z
SZ
Wong
Tiffany J
TJ
Faithfull
Kate
K
Wylde
Paul M
PM
McGurgan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011258:Pregnancy Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014904:Western Australia; D055815:Young Adult
gynaecological surgery; patient safety; pre-operative screening; survey