title: Evaluation of healthcare professionals' understanding of eponymous maneuvers and mnemonics in emergency obstetric care provision.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether eponymous maneuvers and mnemonics taught for the management of shoulder dystocia, vaginal breech delivery, and uterine inversion were remembered and understood in practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was distributed to obstetricians and midwives collecting information about the HELPERR and PALE SISTER mnemonics. Three extended matching questions evaluated participants' knowledge of the correct maneuvers, with their matching eponyms, used in the management of shoulder dystocia, vaginal breech delivery, and uterine inversion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 112 participants, 90% were familiar with the HELPERR mnemonic, with 79% using it in their practice. Of those who used it, only 32% could correctly decipher it (P = 0.032). PALE SISTER was mostly unfamiliar. The percentages of correct maneuvers used for managing shoulder dystocia, breech delivery, and uterine inversion were 84.6%, 58.3%, and 28.6%, respectively. However, the eponyms were correctly matched to their maneuvers in only 33.3%, 14.3%, and 0% of cases, respectively (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The meanings of the mnemonics for obstetric emergencies were frequently recalled incorrectly. This, together with the poor correlation between knowledge of maneuvers and their eponyms, limits their usefulness and indicates that teaching should focus on learning without relying on mnemonics and eponyms.
authors.affiliation: Maternity Training International (MaTI), London, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kings College Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: haiderjan@doctor.com.
authors.forename: Haider
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kings College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Boriana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guimicheva
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kings College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Srirupa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Croydon University Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rosol
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kings College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.affiliation: Maternity Training International (MaTI), London, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kings College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ippokratis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarris
mesh_terms: D001946:Breech Presentation / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D004420:Dystocia / Q000628:therapy; D004630:Emergencies; D004850:Eponyms; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011939:Mental Recall; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D012782:Shoulder; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019687:Uterine Inversion / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Emergency obstetric care; Evaluation; Mnemonics; Shoulder dystocia