Educational Impact of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program in Low-Risk Delivery Centers in a Developing Country
Received 1 May 2008; received in revised form 17 September 2008; accepted 3 October 2008. published online 08 December 2008.
Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness of the American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) in improving knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of nurse midwives in low-risk delivery clinics in a developing country.
Study design
We used the content specifications of the NRP material applicable to college-educated nurse midwives working in low-risk clinics in Zambia to develop performance and self-efficacy evaluations focused on principles of resuscitation, initial steps, ventilation, and chest compressions. These evaluations were administered to 127 nurse midwives before and after NRP training and 6-months later.
Results
After training, written scores (knowledge evaluation) improved from 57% ± 14% to 80% ± 12% (mean ± SD; P < .0001); performance scores (skills evaluation) improved the most from 43% ± 21% to 88% ± 9% (P < .0001); self-efficacy scores improved from 74% ± 14% to 90% ± 10% (P < .0001). Written and performance scores decreased significantly 6 months after training, but self-efficacy scores remained high.
Conclusions
As conducted, the NRP training improved educational outcomes in college-educated practicing nurse midwives. Pre-training knowledge and skills scores were relatively low despite the advanced formal education and experience of the participants, whereas the self-efficacy scores were high. NRP training has the potential to substantially improve knowledge and skills of neonatal resuscitation.
dResearch Triangle Institute, International, Durham, NC
Reprint requests: Waldemar A. Carlo, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Neonatology, 619 S 20th St, 525 New Hillman Building, Birmingham, AL 35233-7335
Supported by the NICHD Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research (HD43475, HD404636) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
ABSTRACT