Quasi-experimental quantitative study of training programme for nurses and midwives regarding provision of neonatal resuscitation in selected governmental hospital, (Sudan), 2018.

AIMS: To measure the effectiveness of educational programmes for nurses regarding knowledge and practice of advanced resuscitation for newborn infants. DESIGN: This is a quasi-experimental study in (Sudan, White Nile state), to evaluate the effectiveness of designed guidelines regarding advanced neonatal resuscitation for midwives during the period November 2020-January 2021. METHODS: Data were collected using two tools: semi-structured questionnaire and checklist. The number of the respondents to the questionnaire is 75 nurses. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 22). Data were expressed as percentages. The results show that the level of knowledge is improved significantly after training programme interventions, with safe practice reaching (98.70%) compared with a pre-test percentage of (11.5%). This indicates a steep rise in safe practice after the simulation section, a sharp decrease in unsafe practice after the practical section, followed by subsequent decrease in neonatal mortality rate. This paper has been guided by (STROBE, cohort study) checklist. RESULTS: The study concluded that the majority of nurses and midwives have some knowledge regarding advanced neonatal resuscitation but still, there is a practice gap because of a shortage of facilities and lack of training, However, training programmes do add value on knowledge and practice for nurses and eventually decrease neonatal mortality rate.

Effect of in-hospital training in newborn resuscitation on the competence of health-care workers in resuscitating newborn infants at birth at Mboppi Baptist Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.

Introduction: neonatal mortality accounts for the most significant proportion of under-five mortality worldwide, as in Cameroon. Birth asphyxia is the leading cause of neonatal deaths in Cameroon. Training of health care workers (HCWs) in newborn resuscitation reduces neonatal morbidity and mortality. In this study, we evaluated the effect of in-hospital training on the competence (knowledge and skills) of HCWs in newborn resuscitation at Mboppi Baptist Hospital, Douala, Cameroon. Methods: this was a quasi-experimental study done in five weeks, in which we compared knowledge and skills before and after training. Assessment of knowledge and skills of HCWs in newborn resuscitation was done before training (simulations) and a week after training using World Health Organization (WHO) adapted Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT+) standard tool. Three key informant interviews (KIIs) and a focused group discussion (FGD) were held to determine barriers to effective newborn resuscitation. Data were analyzed using R software version 3.6.2. McNemar test and Cohen´s Kappa were used to analyze quantitative data, while major themes from KIIs and FGDs were selected for qualitative data. Results: we enrolled 30 HCWs, each HCW was observed twice, a total of 60 deliveries observed before and 60 after training. Sixteen HCWs (53%) showed adequate knowledge before and after training. Median scores for skills significantly increased by 28% (p<0.00054) for real-life observations and 26% (p=0.0004) for newborn resuscitation scenario simulations. The main barriers to adequate newborn resuscitation were inadequate knowledge, equipment, shortage of trained staff and poor teamwork between midwives and anesthetists. Conclusion: in-hospital training on newborn resuscitation improved the skills of HCWs but had no significant effect on their knowledge on newborn resuscitation. We would recommend that in-hospital training in newborn resuscitation be done often for HCWs.

Silent voices of the midwives: factors that influence midwives' achievement of successful neonatal resuscitation in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative inquiry.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal death. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence successful neonatal resuscitation to inform clinical practice and reduce the incidence of very early neonatal death (death within 24 h of delivery). METHODS: This was a qualitative narrative inquiry study utilizing the 32 consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). Audio-recorded, semistructured, individual interviews with midwives were conducted. Thematic analysis was applied to identify themes. RESULTS: Thematic analysis of the midwives' responses revealed three factors that influence successful resuscitation: 1. Hands-on training ("HOT") with clinical support during live emergency neonatal resuscitation events, which decreases fear and enables the transfer of clinical skills; 2. Unequivocal commitment to the Golden Minute® and the mindset of the midwife; and. 3. Strategies that reduce barriers. Immediately after birth, live resuscitation can commence at the mother's bedside, with actively guided clinical instruction. Confidence and mastery of resuscitation competencies are reinforced as the physiological changes in neonates are immediately visible with bag and mask ventilation. The proclivity to perform suction initially delays ventilation, and suction is rarely clinically indicated. Keeping skilled midwives in labor wards is important and impacts clinical practice. The midwives interviewed articulated a mindset of unequivocal commitment to the baby for one Golden Minute®. Heavy workload, frequent staff rotation and lack of clean working equipment were other barriers identified that are worthy of future research. CONCLUSIONS: Training in resuscitation skills in a simulated environment alone is not enough to change clinical practice. Active guidance of "HOT" real-life emergency resuscitation events builds confidence, as the visible signs of successful resuscitation impact the midwife's beliefs and behaviors. Furthermore, a focused commitment by midwives working together to reduce birth asphyxia-related deaths builds hope and collective self-efficacy.

Air, Air, Air: a champion midwife programme in Tanzania using HOT neonatal resuscitation-lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: Tanzania has approximately 40 000 newborn deaths per year, with >25% of these linked to intrapartum-related hypoxia. The Helping Babies Breathe© and Golden minute© (HBB©) programme was developed to teach skilled intervention for non-breathing neonates at birth. While Helping Babies Breathe© and Golden minute©, providing training in simulated bag and mask ventilation, is theoretically successful in the classroom, it often fails to transfer to clinical practice without further support. Furthermore, the proclivity of midwives to suction excessively as a first-line intervention is an ingrained behaviour that delays ventilation, contributing to very early neonatal deaths. METHODS: The 'champion' programme provided guided instruction during a real-life resuscitation. The site was Amana Hospital, Tanzania. The labour ward conducts 13 500 deliveries annually, most of which are managed by midwives. Brief mannikin simulation practice was held two to three times a week followed by bedside hands-on training (HOT) of bag and mask skills and problem solving while reinforcing the mantra of 'air, air, air' as the first-line intervention during a real-life emergency. RESULTS: Champion midwives (trainers) guided instructions given during a real emergency at the bedside caused learners beliefs to change. Trainees observed changes in baby skin colour and the onset of spontaneous breathing after effective ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Visible success during an actual real-life emergency created confidence, mastery and collective self-efficacy.

High-Frequency, Low-Dose Education to Improve Neonatal Outcomes in Low-Resource Settings: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Annually 2.5 million infants die in the first 28 days of life, with a significant regional distribution disparity. An estimated 80% of those could be saved if neonatal resuscitation were correctly and promptly initiated. A barrier to achieving the target is the knowledge and skills of healthcare workers. PURPOSE: The objective of this cluster randomized trial was to assess the improvement and retention of resuscitation skills of nurses, midwives, and birth attendants in 2 birth centers serving 60 villages in rural India using high-frequency, low-dose training. RESULTS: There was a significant difference ( P < .05) between the groups in the rate of resuscitation, with 18% needing resuscitation in the control group and 6% in the intervention group. The posttest scores for knowledge retention at the final 8-month evaluation were significantly better in the intervention group than in the control group (intervention group mean rank 19.4 vs control group mean rank 10.3; P < .05). The success rate of resuscitation was not significantly different among the groups. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Improved knowledge retention at 8 months and the lower need for resuscitation in the intervention group support the efficacy of the high-frequency, low-dose education model of teaching in this setting. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Replication of these findings in other settings with a larger population cohort is needed to study the impact of such intervention on birth outcomes in low-resource settings.

Scaling up Ghana's national newborn care initiative: integrating 'helping babies breathe' (HBB), 'essential care for every baby' (ECEB), and newborn 'infection prevention' (IP) trainings.

BACKGROUND: Responding to stagnating neonatal mortality rates in Ghana, a five-year collaboration called Making Every Baby Count Initiative (MEBCI) was undertaken to improve the quality of newborn care provided around the time of birth. A multi-pronged approach was used to build health worker (HW) capacity in resuscitation, essential newborn care, and infection prevention using a curriculum built on the American Academy of Pediatric's (AAP) Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) and Essential Care for Every Baby (ECEB) modules with an added section on infection prevention (IP). METHODS: MEBCI used a training of trainer's approach to train 3688 health workers from district-level facilities in four regions in Ghana between June 2015 and July 2017. Prior to training, HWs familiarized themselves with the learning materials. Concurrently, MEBCI worked to improve enabling environments that would sustain the increased capacity of trained health workers. Knowledge and skills gained were tested using AAP's Knowledge checklist and validated single-scenario Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) tools. FINDINGS: Majority of HWs trained were midwives (58.8%) and came from district-level hospitals (88.4%). Most HWs passed the HBB OSCE (99.9%, 3436/3440). Age of doctors was negatively associated with HBB scores (r = - 0.16, p = 0.0312). Similarly, older midwives had lower HBB scores (r = - 0.33, p value < 0.001). Initiating ventilation within the Golden Minute was challenging for HWs (78.5% passed) across all regions. Overall, the pass rate for ECEB OSCEs was 99.9% in all regions. Classify newborn for further care and communicate plan to family were frequent challenges observed in Volta Region (69.5% and 72.0% pass rate respectively). HWs less than 40 years of age performed significantly better than health workers older than 40 years (p = 0.023). Age of only paediatricians was positively associated with ECEB scores (r = 0.77, p < 0.001) while age of midwives was negatively associated with ECEB scores (r = - 0.08, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MEBCI's integrated HBB-ECEB-IP training resulted in significant mastery of the clinical knowledge and skills of HWs. Harmonization and standardization of the course delivery by trainers and having a core team to ensure training fidelity are essential to maintaining high quality while scaling a program nationally. FUNDING: Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).

Enhanced Neonatal Resuscitation Provider Course for Novice Learners.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of an enhanced format of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) course on new clinicians' comfort level in providing neonatal resuscitation. DESIGN: Pilot project based on the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework with a pretest-posttest design. SETTING/LOCAL PROBLEM: This course was developed in response to an assessment of new NRP clinicians who self-reported low competence and comfort with selected steps of neonatal resuscitation after participating in our system's usual NRP provider course. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of nurses, respiratory therapists, and physicians taking the NRP course. INTERVENTION/MEASUREMENTS: The enhanced-format course facilitated hands-on practice at skills stations before the integrated skills station and simulation/debriefing component. The level of comfort in key areas of neonatal resuscitation was assessed in a postintervention survey on a 4-point Likert scale. RESULTS: After completion of this enhanced-format course, participants reported an increase in comfort level with equipment and selected resuscitation skills. CONCLUSION: An enhanced NRP provider course targeted to the unique learning needs of novice learners may increase their comfort level and satisfaction with newborn resuscitation knowledge and skills.

Graduate Midwifery Education in Uganda Aiming to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health Outcomes.

Background: Maternal and newborn health outcomes in Uganda have remained poor. The major challenge affecting the implementation of maternal and newborn interventions includes a shortage of skilled midwives. In 2013, Lira University, a Ugandan Public University, in partnership with Seed Global Health, started the first Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BScM) in Uganda with a vision to develop a Master of Science in Midwifery (MScM) in the future. Objective: Evaluate results of Lira University's Bachelors in Midwifery program to help inform the development of a Masters in Midwifery program, which would expand midwifery competencies in surgical obstetric and newborn care. Methods: Lira University and Ministry of Health records provided data on curriculum content, student enrollment and internships. The internship reports of the graduate midwives were reviewed to collect data on their employment and scope of practice. Interviews were also conducted with the graduates to confirm the added skills they were able to apply and their outcomes. Findings: The critical competences incorporated into the Bachelor in Midwifery curriculum included competences to care for pre- and post-operative caesarian section patients or assist in a caesarean section, newborn care (e.g. resuscitation from birth asphyxia), anesthesia, and theatre techniques, among others. Overall, 356 students (40.2% male, 59.8% female) enrolled in the BScM program over the period 2013-2018. Annual data shows an increasing trend in enrollment. Of the 32 graduates in January 2019, 87.6% were employed in maternal and newborn healthcare facilities, and 12.4% were employed in midwifery private practice. Follow-up interviews revealed that the graduate midwives reported positive maternal and newborn outcomes and the ability to practice advanced obstetrics and newborn care skills they acquired from the training. Conclusion: There is growing interest in a graduate midwifery education program in Uganda for both male and female students. The retention of the graduate midwives in healthcare facilities gives a renewed hope for mothers and newborns, who benefit from their extra obstetrics and newborn care competences in settings where there are neither medical doctors nor obstetricians and gynecologists. Recommendations: Further, larger tracer studies of the graduate midwives to identify the kinds of obstetric surgeries and newborn care services they ably performed and their corresponding maternal and newborn health outcomes is recommended. Also recommended is advocacy for recognition of extra skills of graduate midwives by health authorities in Uganda and the region.

Healthcare worker knowledge and skills following coaching in WHO early essential newborn care program in the Solomon Islands: a prospective multi-site cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Newborn mortality in Oceania declined slower than other regions in the past 25 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the Early Essential Newborn Care program (EENC) in 2015 in Solomon Islands, a Small Island Developing State, to address high newborn mortality. We explored knowledge and skills retention among healthcare workers following EENC coaching. METHODS: Between March 2015 and December 2017, healthcare workers in five hospitals were assessed: pre- and post-clinical coaching and at a later evaluation. Standardised written and clinical skills assessments for breathing and non-breathing baby scenarios were used. Additionally, written surveys were completed during evaluation for feedback on the EENC experience. RESULTS: Fifty-three healthcare workers were included in the evaluation. Median time between initial coaching and evaluation was 21 months (IQR 18-26). Median written score increased from 44% at baseline to 89% post-coaching (p < 0.001), and was 61% at evaluation (p < 0.001). Skills assessment score was 20% at baseline and 95% post-coaching in the Breathing Baby scenario (p < 0.001). In the Non-Breathing Baby scenario, score was 63% at baseline and 86% post-coaching (p < 0.001). At evaluation, median score in the Breathing Baby scenario was 82% a reduction of 13% from post-coaching (p < 0.001) and 72% for the Non-Breathing Baby, a reduction of 14% post-coaching (p < 0.001). Nurse aides had least reduction in evaluation scores of - 2% for the Breathing Baby and midwives - 10% for the Non-Breathing Baby respectively from post-coaching to evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: EENC coaching resulted in immediate improvements in knowledge and skills but declined over time. Healthcare workers who used the skills in regular practice had higher scores. Complementary quality improvement strategies are needed to sustain resuscitation skills following training over time. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia New Zealand Trial Registry, Retrospective Registration (12/2/2019), registration number ACTRN12619000201178.

Neonatal resuscitation training for midwives in Australia: A discussion of current practice.

BACKGROUND: More than 300,000 babies are born in Australia each year, with almost 20% of newborns requiring some form of neonatal resuscitation at birth. The most common first responders to a neonatal resuscitation emergency are midwives. While the Australian and New Zealand Council on Resuscitation guides midwives' practice during a neonatal resuscitation, each state and territory uses varying strategies to train and assess midwives proficiency in neonatal resuscitation. AIM: To examine the neonatal resuscitation training requirements for midwives and raise awareness for the lack of consistency in training in Australia. DISCUSSION: A significant variation was found in the teaching methods and frequency of training for neonatal resuscitation across Australia. Neonatal resuscitation is mandated through a state-wide guideline or policy in only four of the states with seven formal neonatal resuscitation training programs used across seven states and territories. Although a multi-modal approach to learning is present in all of the programs, the combination of teaching methods differ. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: A standardised, evidence-based training program is required to ensure consistency in training for midwives in Australia. Multi-modal learning is common across all current training programs; however, the best combination of multi-modal teaching methods needs to be determined. Neonatal resuscitation training needs to occur at least annually, as recommended by the Australian and New Zealand Council on Resuscitation.

Reduction in Perinatal Mortality after Implementation of HBB Training at a District Hospital in Mali.

BACKGROUND: Mali has a high neonatal mortality rate of 38/1000 live births; in addition the fresh stillbirth rate (FSR) is 23/1000 births and of these one-third are caused by intrapartum events. OBJECTIVES: The aims are to evaluate the effect of helping babies breathe (HBB) on mortality rate at a district hospital in Kati district, Mali. METHODS: HBB first edition was implemented in April 2016. One year later the birth attendants were trained in HBB second edition and started frequent repetition training. This is a before and after study comparing the perinatal mortality during the period before HBB training with the period after HBB training, the period after HBB first edition and the period after HBB second edition. Perinatal mortality is defined as FSR plus neonatal deaths in the first 24 h of life. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in perinatal mortality rate (PMR) between the period before and after HBB training, from 21.7/1000 births to 6.0/1000 live births; RR 0.27, (95% CI 0.19-0.41; p < 0.0001). Very early neonatal mortality rate (24 h) decreased significantly from 6.3/1000 to 0.8/1000 live births; RR 0.12 (95% CI 0.05-0.33; p = 0.0006). FSR decreased from 15.7/1000 to 5.3/1000, RR 0.33 (95% CI 0.22-0.52; p < 0.0001). No further reduction occurred after introducing the HBB second edition. CONCLUSION: HBB may be effective in a local first-level referral hospital in Mali.

Comparison of perinatal outcomes in facilities before and after Global Network's Helping Babies Breathe Implementation Study in Nagpur, India.

BACKGROUND: The Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) educational program focuses on training of first-level birth attendants in neonatal resuscitation skills for the first minute of life (The Golden Minute). Pre-post studies of HBB implementation in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia have shown reductions in facility-based very early neonatal mortality and stillbirth rates. However, the Global Network pre-post HBB Implementation Study (GN-HBB-IS) found no difference in day 7 perinatal mortality rates (PMR-D7) among births to women participating in the Global Network's Maternal and Newborn Health Registry. To address potential differences in perinatal outcomes in births occurring in facilities that implemented HBB vs. all births occurring in the communities served by facilities that implemented HBB, we compared day-1 perinatal mortality rates (PMR-D1) among births occurring pre and post HBB implementation in facilities in Nagpur, India, one of the 3 sites participating in the GN-HBB-IS. METHODS: We hypothesized that there would be a 20% decrease in the Nagpur facility based PMR-D1 in the 12 months post GN HBB implementation from the pre-period. We explored pre-post differences in stillbirth rates (SBR) and day-1 neonatal mortality rates (NMR-D1). RESULTS: Of the 15 facilities trained for the GN-HBB-IS, 13 participated in the Nagpur HBB Facility Study (Nagpur-HBB-FS). There were 38,078 facility births in the 12 months before the GN-HBB-IS and 40,870 facility births in the 12 months after the GN-HBB-IS. There was 11% overlap between the registry births analyzed in the GN-HBB-IS and the facility births analyzed in the Nagpur-HBB-FS. In the Nagpur-HBB-FS, there was a pre-post reduction of 16% in PMR-D1 (p = 0.0001), a 14% reduction in SBR (p = 0.002) and a 20% reduction NMR-D1 (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: In the Nagpur-HBB-FS, PMR-D1, stillbirths and NMR-D1 were significantly lower after HBB implementation. These benefits did not translate to improvements in PMR-D7 in communities served by these facilities, possibly because facilities in which HBB was implemented covered an insufficient proportion of community births or because additional interventions are needed after day 1 of life. Further studies are needed to determine how to translate facility-based improvements in PMR-D1 to improved neonatal survival in the community. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Global Network HBB Implementation Study (GN-HBB-IS) was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01681017 .

Maintaining the knowledge and neonatal resuscitation skills of student midwives 6 months after an educational program.

BACKGROUND: Training student midwives in neonatal resuscitation is essential because the midwife is present at every birth and must be able to perform resuscitation procedures when needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate student midwives' retention of theoretical knowledge about resuscitation as well as their practical application of that knowledge 6 months after training. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted for two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, among 49 student midwives in the middle of their second and final year of training at the University of Applied Sciences in Western Switzerland. The study included assessments of both theoretical knowledge and practical skills regarding neonatal resuscitation 6 months after each participant had completed the training program. The students' theoretical knowledge was evaluated using a multiple-choice question (MCQ) test, the results of which were compared with results from the same MCQ test that had been obtained 6 months earlier. The students' practical skills were evaluated following a simulation workshop by analyzing recorded videos and applying scores using an adapted validated grid. RESULTS: The MCQ pretest and MCQ posttest (after 6 months) scores showed no statistically significant difference (z=-1.583, P=0.113). In terms of the practical skills assessment, 25% of the students (11/44) were considered insufficiently skilled for the table preparation. During the simulation, 22 teams of students were available for analysis. Of these, 11 teams (50.0%) were considered insufficiently skilled. The skills observation findings showed an integration of technical gestures for the majority of the teams, but the items demonstrated a lack of organization and management. CONCLUSION: Neonatal resuscitation training for student midwives shows that their theoretical knowledge seems to be well assimilated while practical skills are unevenly retained. Certain elements, as indicated by the detail of the analysis grid, need to be reinforced by additional workshops before the end of the training.

Impact of Neonatal Resuscitation Capacity Building of Birth Attendants on Stillbirth Rate at Public Health Facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India.

OBJECTIVE: To document the impact of neonatal resuscitation capacity building of birth attendants at district and sub-district level on fresh stillbirth within the public health system in India. DESIGN: An implementation research using pre-post study design. SETTING: 3 high-infant and neonatal mortality districts (Gonda, Aligarh and Raebareli) of Uttar Pradesh, India. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant women who delivered at the health facilities and their newborns. INTERVENTIONS: An intervention package with (i) training on essential newborn care resuscitation; (ii) skill laboratories establishment for peer-interactive learning; (iii) better documentation; and (iv) supportive supervision was implemented at all health facilities in the districts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Impact on fresh stillbirth rates and resuscitation practices were documented at 42 health facilities (Gonda-17, Aligarh-8 and Raebareli-17) over 12-18 months. RESULTS: Out of the 3.3% (4431/133627) newborns requiring resuscitation, 58.5% (n=2599) were completely revived, 19% (n=842) had some features of hypoxic insult after birth and 1.4% (n=62) were stillbirths. There was 15.6% reduction in still birth rate in the three districts with the intervention package. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in still birth rate and improvement in newborn resuscitation efforts in the three districts indicated feasibility of implementation and scalability of the intervention package. However sustenance of the impact over longer period needs documentation.

Decision making and situational awareness in neonatal resuscitation in low resource settings.

INTRODUCTION: Data on non-technical skills (i.e. task management, team working, situation awareness and decision-making) of healthcare providers during real-life newborn resuscitation in low-resource settings are lacking. We aimed to assess non-technical skills of trained midwives during real-life newborn resuscitation in a low-resource setting before and after participation in a modified NRP course, and after a low-dose/high-frequency training. METHODS: One-hundred and fifty video-recorded resuscitations (50 before and 50 after participation in a modified NRP course, and 50 after a low-dose/high-frequency training) collected at the Beira Central Hospital (Mozambique) were independently viewed and rated by two neonatologists with expertise in high fidelity simulation. Non-technical skills regarding task management, situation awareness and decision-making were evaluated using the modified Anesthetists' Non-Technical Skills tool. RESULTS: Overall, most non-technical skills were scored as poor or marginal. Small improvements were observed in task management (planning and preparing p = 0.02; providing/maintaining standards p = 0.03) after the course. Limited improvements were observed in task management (prioritizing p = 0.03; providing/maintaining standards p = 0.04; identifying and utilizing resources p = 0.02) and decision-making (identifying options p = 0.04; balancing risk/selecting options p = 0.02) after the low-dose/high-frequency training. No differences were observed in situation awareness, apart from a small improvement in recognizing/understanding (p = 0.04) after the low-dose/high-frequency training. CONCLUSION: An educational intervention including a modified NRP course and a low-dose/high-frequency training on neonatal resuscitation had a limited impact on non-technical skills of participants. All items remained significantly under the recommended standards. Behavioral skills should be considered in training programs in order to improve the quality of neonatal resuscitation in low resource settings.

Improving Neonatal Outcomes Through Global Professional Development.

BACKGROUND: Globally, stillbirths account for 2.7 million infant deaths each year, with the vast majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Approximately 900,000 infants die due to birth asphyxia. The focus of the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) program is to help the nonbreathing infant to breathe within the first minute of life, termed the "Golden Minute." PURPOSE: To present a multinational interprofessional development program utilizing the train-the-trainer methodology for HBB to address neonatal morbidity and mortality. Involving nursing students in collaboration with established global partners provided an innovative method of professional development. Lessons learned and challenges will be shared to enhance success of future efforts. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: HBB train-the-trainer workshops were held to provide professional development for nurses and nursing students in 5 locations in 4 countries including Ethiopia, India, Vietnam, and Zambia. Workshop participants and the trainers participated in discussions and informal conversation to assess impact on professional development. RESULTS: HBB training and train-the-trainer workshops were implemented in 4 counties. Equipment and supplies were provided in these countries through several internal university grants. All 145 participants demonstrated increased knowledge and skills at the end of the workshops through the HBB check off. Collaborative teaching and cross-cultural professional skills were enhanced in student and faculty trainers. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses, midwives, and advance practice nurses can engage globally and contribute to closing this gap in knowledge and skills by providing train-the-trainer workshops. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Developing systems to integrate the HBB program within each country's existing healthcare infrastructure promotes in-country ownership. Joining the global effort to save the lives of neonates can be a meaningful opportunity for innovative professional development projects. While HBB education has been shown to save lives, a 1-time training is insufficient. Determining how often HBB updates or refreshers are required to maintain skills is an important next step. Another direction for research is to implement this project within prelicensure nursing programs.

Improved Team Performance During Pediatric Resuscitations After Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Compared With Traditional Debriefing: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Simulation-based medical education (SBME) improves medical knowledge compared with no intervention. In traditional SBME, more time is spent debriefing than practicing skills. Rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) simulation allows learners to practice skills repetitively, receive brief interspersed feedback, and has been shown to improve individual performance of resuscitation skills in simulation; it has not been compared with traditional simulation methods. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare traditional and RCDP SBME. METHODS: Four pediatric resuscitation cases (3 for teaching and 1 for testing) were developed. For the RCDP arm, traditional cases were deconstructed into sequences of progressively difficult rounds. The last RCDP round served as the traditional arm scenario.Learners received 1 type of instruction on 2 separate days. Pretest and posttest performance during simulation were video recorded and scored using the Simulation Team Assessment Tool; satisfaction surveys were collected. RESULTS: Pretest team performance was similar in both groups. Simulation Team Assessment Tool score improvement for RCDP was 7.2% (95% confidence interval, 3.4% to 11%) and traditional was 0.8% (95% confidence interval, -11% to 13%). The difference in improvement of the human factors subscore was statistically significant; RCDP improved 10.2% and traditional improved 1.7% (P = 0.013). The RCDP technique was well received by learners but caused fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study showed a trend toward greater improvement in team performance and significantly greater improvement for human factors with RCDP compared with traditional simulation. Future studies comparing RCDP with other methods are needed to identify best practices and applications of RCDP, including which learners and learning objectives are best suited to RCDP.

Helping Babies Breathe, Second Edition: A Model for Strengthening Educational Programs to Increase Global Newborn Survival.

BACKGROUND: Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), a skills-based program in neonatal resuscitation for birth attendants in resource-limited settings, has been implemented in over 80 countries since 2010. Implementation studies of HBB incorporating low-dose high-frequency practice and quality improvement show substantial reductions in fresh stillbirth and first-day neonatal mortality. Revision of the program aimed to further augment provider and facilitator skills and address gaps in implementation with the goal of improving neonatal survival. METHODS: The Utstein Formula for Survival-Medical Science X Educational Efficiency X Local Implementation = Survival-provided a framework for the revisions. The 2015 Neonatal Resuscitation Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation informed scientific updates, which were harmonized with the 2012 World Health Organization Basic Newborn Resuscitation Guidelines. Published literature and program reports, consensus guidelines on reprocessing equipment, systematic collection of suggestions from frontline users, and responses to a semistructured online questionnaire informed educational/implementation revisions. Links to maternal care were added. Draft materials underwent Delphi review and field testing in India and Sierra Leone. An Utstein-style meeting of stakeholders identified key actions for successful implementation. RESULTS: Scientific revisions included expectant management of infants with meconium-stained amniotic fluid, limitation of suctioning, and initiating and continuing effective ventilation until spontaneous respirations. Frontline users (N=102) suggested augmented simulation methods to build confidence and competence and additional guidance for facilitators on implementation. Users identified a need for sufficient practice during the workshop, systematized ongoing practice, and enough simulators for participants. Field trials refined approaches to self-reflection, feedback and debriefing, and quality improvement. Utstein meeting stakeholders validated the importance of quality improvement and use of data to improve outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The second edition of HBB provides a newer paradigm of learning for providers that incorporates workshop practice, self-reflection, and feedback and debriefing to reinforce learning as well as the promotion of mentorship and development of facilitators, systems for low-dose high-frequency practice in facilities, and quality improvement related to neonatal resuscitation.

Introduction of laryngeal mask airway in Japan, and its rescue use for newborns.

BACKGROUND: In neonatal resuscitation, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is recommended when both face mask ventilation and endotracheal intubation fail. Experience of LMA among obstetricians, nurses and midwives in Japan, however, is limited. The aims of the present study were to (i) offer an LMA training course to professionals dealing with low-risk pregnancies at institutions across Japan; and (ii) assess the subsequent use and value of LMA at the participating institutions. METHODS: Between August 2016 and March 2017, a total of 18 training courses for 60 min were provided for around 350 medical personnel from 51 institutes. LMA use over the subsequent 12 months was assessed via a postal questionnaire. RESULTS: After training, a total of 38 institutes introduced LMA. Of 13 254 live births, seven cases of rescue use LMA in "cannot ventilate, cannot intubate" situations were reported. None of these seven newborns had any malformation of the upper airway. LMA insertion resulted in adequate ventilation in all seven cases. CONCLUSION: LMA can be a life-saving tool in neonatal resuscitation. All medical institutions dealing with low-risk pregnancies in Japan should be equipped with this device.