Dodi Gauthier, MEd, RN
Education and preparedness of EMS First Responders is essential in the care of pregnant women outside of the obstetrical realm. Dodi Gauthier recognized the need for improvement of obstetrical patient care in the field. She set educational goals to impart the knowledge necessary for EMS First Responders to effectively care for obstetric patients in both deliveries and emergencies. These included the ability to perform a delivery and assist with a birth, maternal post-partum care, and resuscitation and care of the newborn in the field.
Along with Susie Thielman, RN, she began teaching a “Childbirth Module” for the County medics that involved didactics as well as hands-on clinical experience. These classes led to Base Station meetings, Skills Labs for the First Responders and included some Emergency Department personnel in smaller outlying hospitals associated within Cottage Health System. From the development of modules to implementation of classes it took about 6 months to educate all of the county fire departments. From there Ms. Gauthier moved on to train paramedics and EMTs. After teaching the first series of classes, changes were seen in the manner of transport of obstetric patients in the field as well as First Responders’ abilities in deliveries. Ms. Gauthier continues her quality improvement through educational modules in other aspects of obstetric care in the field.
View Dodi's CMQCC profile.
