Beaufort Memorial Adds Obstetric Hemorrhage Kit to Improve Emergency Care for Mothers

New resource helps streamline treatment for severe pregnancy and postpartum bleeding

Beaufort Memorial has enhanced its maternal emergency care capabilities with the addition of an obstetric hemorrhage kit in the Beaufort Memorial Pratt Emergency Center, providing faster access to critical medications for patients experiencing severe bleeding during pregnancy or after childbirth.

This specialized kit was developed through collaboration among emergency department staff, frontline nurses, patient safety leaders and the Beaufort Memorial pharmacy team.

By placing life-saving medications directly in the emergency department, Beaufort Memorial caregivers can begin administering treatment more quickly when every second matters.

What is an Obstetric Hemorrhage?

Obstetric hemorrhage is excessive bleeding that occurs during pregnancy, labor, delivery or the postpartum period. The condition can result from a variety of causes, including uterine trauma, placental abnormalities, blood clotting disorders or complications during delivery.

While obstetric hemorrhage is relatively uncommon in emergency departments, it’s considered a high-risk medical emergency and requires rapid recognition and treatment to help prevent serious complications for mothers.

“This condition is less common, but extremely high-risk,” said Ashley Morales, MSN, RN, CHSE, Beaufort Memorial patient safety and quality specialist. “It’s a situation that we have to be ready for when it occurs.”

Improving Maternal Care Through Faster Treatment

This obstetric hemorrhage kit is part of the ongoing efforts at Beaufort Memorial to strengthen maternal healthcare and improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum patients, Morales said.

“Many times, these moms are coming into the ED when they’re experiencing hemorrhage, so we have been assessing what that patient’s initial care looks like,” she added. “How can we initiate treatment quicker? What does that entail?”

Before the kit was introduced, the process involved ED staff contacting either the pharmacy for the necessary medications or facilitating transfer to labor and delivery before treatment could begin. Now, essential medications are immediately available in the Emergency Department, reducing delays and streamlining care during a time-sensitive emergency.

“The goal is to hopefully control bleeding quicker and result in better outcomes for the mother,” Morales said.

A Collaborative Approach to Patient Safety

The obstetric hemorrhage kit represents a cross-departmental effort focused on patient safety, clinical readiness and evidence-based maternal care.

Emergency medicine teams worked closely with nursing leaders and pharmacists to identify the most important medications for managing obstetric bleeding emergencies and assemble them in an accessible kit, located directly in the hospital’s ED.

The project highlights the organization’s commitment to continuous quality improvement and preparedness, ensuring clinical teams have the tools they need to respond effectively to all emergencies, even emergencies that are less common.

Prepared for Every Emergency

The kit was implemented in early July 2026 and was used within days of becoming available, reinforcing the importance of preparedness and having specialized resources in place before they’re needed.

“Our primary goal is to ensure the quickest, most accurate and safest access to life-saving medications,” said Timothy McCall, RPh, Director of Pharmacy Services at Beaufort Memorial. “While we anticipate that this specialized kit will see little use, proactively stocking it ensures that the exact clinical resources required for a hemorrhage emergency are available in the right place, at the right time.”

By investing in specialized emergency preparedness tools such as the obstetric hemorrhage kit, Beaufort Memorial continues to advance maternal health services and support the safest possible outcomes for mothers and babies across the Lowcountry.

Learn about immediate care options at Beaufort Memorial.