A refresher course combined with self-directed practice to improve neonatal resuscitation knowledge and skills in United States pediatric residents: Randomized pilot study

Abstract

Chiamaka Umeh Aneji, John Chapman, Michelle Tatum

Purpose: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education mandates pediatric residents complete training and maintain competence in neonatal resuscitation. Demands on resident training time requires the development of effective strategies to address the longstanding problem of knowledge and skills attrition following standard neonatal resuscitation program courses. The study aims to assess whether an intensive neonatal resuscitation refresher training course improves resuscitation knowledge and skills of residents. Methods: A prospective, cluster-randomized controlled trial of different training modules. The control group (CG) completed the traditional month long rotation. The intervention group (IG) got this in addition to an intensive neonatal resuscitation refresher course and also weekly self-directed skills practice over the course of the rotation month. Results: The IG had a greater increase in resuscitation knowledge and skills from baseline compared to the CG by the end of the rotation month. There was no significant difference in knowledge at the end of the month (p = 0.92) or at 6 months (p = 0.16) between the two groups. There was a trend toward statistical significance (p = 0.047) at the end of the rotation month in skills between the two groups, but no significant difference in skills between the two groups at 6 months (p = 0.96) from baseline. Within the IG, there was however a significant difference in resuscitation skills at the end of the month (p = 0.00024). Conclusion: The intervention led to improvement in neonatal resuscitation skills but did not appear to be superior to the traditional training model.