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Paul, Maureen

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Paul

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Maureen

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Paul, Maureen

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    Assessment of a high-fidelity mobile simulator for intrauterine contraception training in ambulatory reproductive health centres
    (Taylor & Francis, 2016) Dodge, Laura; Hacker, Michele; Averbach, Sarah H.; Voit, Sara F.; Paul, Maureen
    Objectives. Little is known about the utility of simulation-based training in office gynaecology. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the self-reported effectiveness and acceptability of the PelvicSim™ (VirtaMed), a high-fidelity mobile simulator, to train clinicians in intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. Methods. Clinicians at ambulatory healthcare centres participated in a PelvicSim IUD training programme and completed a self-administered survey. The survey assessed prior experience with IUD insertion, pre- and post-training competency and comfort and opinions regarding the acceptability of the PelvicSim. Results. The 237 participants were primarily female (97.5%) nurse practitioners (71.3%). Most had experience inserting the levonorgestrel LNG20 IUD and the copper T380A device, but only 4.1% had ever inserted the LNG14 IUD. For all three devices, participants felt more competent following training, with the most striking change reported for insertion of the LNG14 IUD. The majority of participants reported increased comfort with uterine sounding (57.7%), IUD insertion on a live patient (69.8%), and minimizing patient pain (72.8%) following training. Of the respondents, 89.6% reported the PelvicSim IUD insertion activities as “valuable” or “very valuable.” All participants would recommend the PelvicSim for IUD training, and nearly all (97.2%) reported that the PelvicSim was a better method to teach IUD insertion than the simple plastic models supplied by IUD manufacturers. Conclusions. These findings support the use of the PelvicSim for IUD training, though whether it is superior to traditional methods and improves patient outcomes requires evaluation.
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    First trimester medication abortion practice in the United States and Canada
    (Public Library of Science, 2017) Jones, Heidi E.; O’Connell White, Katharine; Norman, Wendy V.; Guilbert, Edith; Lichtenberg, E. Steve; Paul, Maureen
    We conducted a cross-sectional survey of abortion facilities from professional networks in the United States (US, n = 703) and Canada (n = 94) to estimate the prevalence of medication abortion practices in these settings and to look at regional differences. Administrators responded to questions on gestational limits, while up to five clinicians per facility reported on 2012 medication abortion practice. At the time of fielding, mifepristone was not approved in Canada. 383 (54.5%) US and 78 (83.0%) Canadian facilities participated. In the US, 95.3% offered first trimester medication abortion compared to 25.6% in Canada. While 100% of providers were physicians in Canada, just under half (49.4%) were advanced practice clinicians in the US, which was more common in Eastern and Western states. All Canadian providers used misoprostol; 85.3% with methotrexate. 91.4% of US providers used 200 mg of mifepristone and 800 mcg of misoprostol, with 96.7% reporting home misoprostol administration. More than three-quarters of providers in both countries required an in-person follow-up visit, generally with ultrasound. 87.7% of US providers routinely prescribed antibiotics compared to 26.2% in Canada. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the most commonly reported analgesic, with regional variation in opioid narcotic prescription. In conclusion, medication abortion practice follows evidence-based guidelines in the US and Canada. Efforts to update practice based on the latest evidence for reducing in-person visits and increasing provision by advanced practice clinicians could strengthen these services and reduce barriers to access. Research is needed on optimal antibiotic and analgesic use.