An Advanced Neonatal Resuscitation Educational Program in a Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Development, Implementation and Audit from 2014 to 2023

The design, implementation and audit of a multidisciplinary advanced neonatal resuscitation education initiative for “in unit” events in a quaternary NICU over a 9-year period, divided into 3-year epochs of “pre”, “implementation” and “maintenance” is described.

A didactic and simulation quality improvement initiative focused on teaching and reinforcing specific algorithms endorsed by the American Heart Association (AHA) to target resuscitation needs of older neonates including surgical and cardiac conditions. Qualitative and quantitative data pre and post implementation was audited.

Post education implementation, team members performed quicker hemodynamic assessments and applied CPR and/or bolus epinephrine correctly in higher proportions during acute events. During supraventricular tachycardia, vagal maneuver use and medication administration time improved.

Advanced neonatal resuscitation education and reinforcement targeted for event etiology, allow for AHA algorithms to be successfully taught and performed within a quaternary NICU with improvement in hemodynamic assessments and AHA algorithm implementation.