Improve Your Triage Process and Patient Outcomes
The Maternal Fetal Triage Index (MFTI) module educates perinatal nurses about obstetric triage basics—the meaning of triage in obstetrics, the nurse’s role, and the benefits of using a systematic approach to improve the process of triage and outcomes factoring in social determinants of health, health equity, and implicit bias. The revised MFTI course encompasses common obstetrical triage clinical presentations with increased interactivity through knowledge checks and case scenarios, to help learners focus on initial proper assessment using the five-level acuity classification index.
Learners will be able to:
- Define triage
- List the benefits of a standardized approach to obstetric triage
- Explain the use of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index (MFTI)
- Prioritize women using the MFTI for select obstetric triage cases
For more information on the MFTI program, you can view the Education Town Hall recording for an in-depth overview, or scroll down for additional details.
MFTI Education 2022 from AWHONN on Vimeo.
Using the MFTI Acuity Tool:
First Come ≠ First Served
We created a short video to give an overview of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index.
Testimonials
“The evidence-based MFTI algorithm and education from AWHONN empowered staff to TRIAGE DIFFERENTLY.”
“Staff were ENGAGED and excited”
“[Staff] saw how much faster we could assess patients using this model and acknowledged the IMPROVED workflow”
Pricing Information
Full Member, Lifetime, Students, and Emeritus: $54
E-Member: $60
Non-member: $74
AWHONN is the provider of this activity and Healthstream is the joint provider.
MFTI will be accessible in late October on the HealthStream online learning portal. Healthstream customers can contact HealthStream customer service at 1-800-521-0574 or email customer.service@healthstream.com for more details.
MFTI Program Highlights
- Narrated content (optional)
- Updated resources and copyright corner with references
- Focused learning on each MFTI priority level pathway
- Increased knowledge checks to promote engagement
- Multiple case studies to implement learned knowledge
- Expanded post-test to evaluate learned knowledge
- Discussion of the impact of social determinants of health and health equity on triage
CNE Available
1.75 nursing contact hours through October 17, 2025
Accreditation Statement
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Accredited status does not imply endorsement by AWHONN or the American Nurses Credentialing Center of any commercial products displayed or discussed in conjunction with an educational activity.
AWHONN is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP580.
Interested in Implementing MFTI in your hospital?
Contact Mitty Songer, Director, Product Sales and Client Relations, at productsales@awhonn.org with questions. Additional resources:
- Sample MFTI Justification Letter
- Hospitals must purchase 10 or more seats to be eligible to purchase the MFTI Toolkit
The MFTI Toolkit
The Maternal Fetal Triage Index (MFTI) toolkit educates hospital administrators on the implementation of the MFTI within the hospital unit or system. The MFTI toolkit is comprised of resources to be used to improve the process of triage and triage outcomes factoring in social determinants of health, health equity, and implicit bias. The process includes developing an MFTI team and obtaining baseline statistics to promote successful implementation of the MFTI during the reorganization of the current obstetric triage within the hospital unit or system.
The MFTI Toolkit is available to hospitals purchasing a minimum of (10) MFTI Education Seats. The MFTI Toolkit does not automatically come with the purchase of MFTI Education. The Toolkit is an additional cost and is only available once a customer has purchased, or is purchasing, a minimum of (10) MFTI Education Seats.
The MFTI toolkit consists of:
- Terms of use for the MFTI Toolkit
- MFTI Sample News Release
- MFTI Introductory Presentation
- MFTI Implementation Recording
- MFTI Algorithm
- MFTI Algorithm – Poster
- MFTI Algorithm Abbreviations
- MFTI Paper Checklist
- Coping with Labor Algorithm
- Patient Education – What to Expect in Triage
- MFTI Provider Education
- MFTI Education References
- MFTI Case Study Posttest and Answer Key
- MFTI Sample Timeline
- MFTI Sample Screening Room Process
- MFTI Audit Log
- MFTI FAQs
Permissions
Please contact AWHONN Permissions for inquiries related to distribution of the MFTI at your facility. Examples of situations requiring permission to reproduce, duplicate or post the MFTI online include, but are not limited to:
- Including the MFTI in your triage policy
- Integrating the MFTI into your electronic medical record
- Using an image of the MFTI as part of a presentation
Additional MFTI Resources
- Hospital-Based Triage of Obstetric Patients: ACOG Committee Opinion
- Why Is My Provider Sending Me to the Hospital Birth Unit?
- AHRQ Case Study
- Coping with Labor Algorithm
- MFTI Nurse Frequently Asked Questions
Research
AWHONN’s development of the MFTI is described in two articles available in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN).
- Content Validity Testing of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index details the multidisciplinary content validation of each item in the MFTI.
- Interrater Reliability Testing of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index outlines how the MFTI was tested in the clinical setting.
The articles were published in the November/December 2015 issue of JOGNN.
Additional Questions?
Permissions inquiry: permissions@awhonn.org
Sales inquiry: productsales@awhonn.org
Online Learning Center questions: learning@awhonn.org
Clinical practice questions related to triage: practicereferenceline@awhonn.org
