About

• The aim of this project is to assess the level of satisfaction of both service users attending, and staff working in, the dedicated Early Pregnancy Unit (EPU) at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH). This will ensure that the unit and the care being provided is addressing the needs of its service users and the staff involved.
  In 2007, the dedicated early pregnancy unit (EPU) at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) was established.
• The clinic operates Monday to Friday, in the mornings, and reviews over five thousand women per annum. The EPU is staffed by one administrator, one non consultant hospital doctor and two midwife sonographers and is dedicated to the assessment of early pregnancy and its complications. Women are referred to the unit from their general practitioner or from other clinical areas of the CUMH based on symptoms/signs concerning for early pregnancy complications.
• A confidential and anonymous survey was developed to gather the perceptions of those accessing the EPU, their level of satisfaction with it and their views/suggestions for improvement. Additionally, staff working on the EPU were also asked to complete a survey, again to gather their experiences and perceptions of working in the EPU and their views/suggestions for improvement of this service.
• The information from this study, will provide relevant information on the views of, not only the individuals using the EPU, but also those working in it. This will allow us to identify areas for improvement in service provision and ensure high-quality of care. By analysing staff’s views and satisfaction on their working conditions, it will be possible to identify potential issues and address these contributing to improved wellbeing at work for this staff and ultimately benefit future patient care.

People

• David Synnott (1,2), Sara Leitao (1,3), Keelin O’Donoghue (1,2,4), Deirdre Hayes-Ryan (1,2,3)
  1. Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  2. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
  3. National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
  4. INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland