Exploring Trainees' Needs in order to Develop a Training Program in Neonatal Resuscitation

Abstract

A retrospective review of trainees’ performance in neonatal mock codes identified deficiencies in their skills. Initiatives to create a new curriculum to improve training in this area included surveying trainees to assess their attitudes towards neonatal resuscitation training, perceived skill deficit and preferred learning strategies. Methods: An online survey was sent to fifty trainees enrolled in the pediatrics program at the University of Ottawa. Results: Seventy six percent of trainees responded. All respondents agreed on the importance of the ability to run a real or mock code. Only 11% of trainees were very comfortable performing a real resuscitation by the end of their first year of training; while 23% were very comfortable when running mock codes. From the different learning strategies presented to them, most trainees preferred hands-on experience (i.e. mock codes). Conclusion: Most trainees believed they weren’t adequately prepared and weren’t comfortable running a real or mock neonatal resuscitation. Information gathered from this survey guided us in developing a new training program to enhance trainees’ skill level and comfort in both mock code and real neonatal resuscitation.