Carbon monoxide monitoring: A potentially life-saving intervention
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Author(s)
Heidi Croucher, Fiona Dodd and Emily Wills
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| Presenter(s) |
Heidi Croucher Smoking in Pregnancy Liaison Midwife, Poole Hospital Foundation Trust |
Fiona Dodd Smoking in Pregnancy Liaison Midwife, Dorchester County Hospital NHS Trust |
Abstract The poster conveys very clear Public Health messages on the dangers of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and the realisation that it can be sourced as being present within the home environment without necessarily being linked to Smoking. Some of the insidious effects of CO poisoning which can mimic normal early pregnancy signs are also listed.
A quick,user –friendly screening smokealyser designed to give an immediate environmental, and exhaled breath reading is used by Midwives to determine the current risk of CO exposure to all pregnant women in Dorset at booking and at 36/40. of pregnancy in line with Call for Action.
The immediate result from screening raises a non judgemental discussion allowing the mother the ability to make informed choices as to how to how she can reduce her risks and that of her unborn baby to this highly toxic, invisible no odour gas.
If this is as a result of smoking, then she is signposted to a Smoke Stop Programme – run by 4 Trained Midwives.
The Statistics shown strongly reinforce the message as to why there is a need for screening, and why no excuses should be used as to why it should not be offered to all pregnant mothers.
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Presenter biography Heidi Croucher - For the past 17 years I have been a midwife working both within the hospital and community setting. I have dedicated many years to working with vulnerable families within deprives areas helping them through the exciting, but sometimes difficult and troubled process of parenthood.
For a time I worked as a Specialist Teenage Pregnancy Midwife in Hertfordshire helping and educating young parents-to-be to become knowledgeable and wiser around the issues of childbirth and surviving as a young parent within society. Just over a year ago I was honoured to be given the job as a Smoking in Pregnancy Liaison Midwife which I thoroughly enjoy. Everyday I see the benefits from women quitting smoking in their pregnancy and the positive impact this has on their unborn child.
Jane Dodd - I always wanted to be a Nurse from early childhood years,and undertook SRN training in 1977. Having qualified and gained experience in many different areas, I subsequently undertook Midwifery training in 1988 qualifying in 1990. Until the recent role of a SPLM, I worked full time as an intergrated Midwife, and particularly enjoyed the ability to give evidence based information to Mothers and their supportive network in order that they can make informed choices.
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Source of funding: The work of the midwives/ smoking in pregnancy midwives were joint funded by Public Health Dorset and the NHS. The poster production is being funded by MD Diagnostics.
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Declaration of interest: None
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