Hunter New England - Improving Outcomes for Newborn Babies
Aims and Objectives
This project aimed to:
- Train in teaching methodology to ensure evidence based educational styles
- Train in neonatal resuscitation following evidence based educational styles
- Have effective trainers in neonatal resuscitation to service the Hunter New England and North Coast regions
Description of Project
This was a two-day workshop to train teachers in delivering neonatal resuscitation education. It aimed to improve the clinical resuscitation and subsequent outcomes for newborn babies, and was consistent with a number of educational/skills development previously supported by the network.
The number of births and changing models of birthing centres sees significant changes in the skill mix present at births. The program aims to better prepare practitioners to deal with babies who become compromised at or soon after birth.
Expected Outcomes
It is expected that representatives from each hospital from within Hunter New England and North Coast Area Health Services to become trainers in neonatal resuscitation.
Performance Indicators
The success of this project was measured by the achievement of the following:
- Twenty proficient neonatal resuscitators and educators
- Development of a database of people trained in neonatal resuscitation
- Development of a database of people trained in teaching on the run
Discussion
Effective neonatal resuscitation is an important part of the effort to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity. In 2002 NSW Health released a circular 2002/30, stipulating that all those involved in the care of newborn infants should be trained in basic neonatal life support, and at least one member of staff should be available (for all deliveries) who is trained in advanced neonatal life support. To address this issue, JHCH NICU developed an outreach education program targeting neonatal resuscitation in their referral area. In 2006 they trained 40 people in evidence based educational delivery and also in updated guidelines on neonatal resuscitation. Local areas are now implementing courses. So far Maitland, Lismore, Newcastle Private, Muswellbrook, Singleton and Scone have or are in the process of running independent neonatal resuscitation courses, using local and JHH facilitators. This has reduced the number of instructors leaving JHH each month by 50% as well as empowering local sources.
Following on from the success of the outreach education program, that team organised the "Train the Trainer" Course. The course was held on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th May 2006, 9am-5pm at Noah's on the Beach, Newcastle. It consisted of 3 modules from the 'Teaching on the Run' program followed by an afternoon session looking at the updated ILCOR guidelines applied to Neonatal Resuscitation. Both days were fully interactive.
Teaching on the Run is a course designed to help individuals:
- Recognise opportunities for teaching in various clinical settings
- Do more incidental teaching
- Build confidence to share information they know and teach more effectively.
The 3 modules presented were:
- Clinical Bedside teaching
- Skills teaching
- Assessment and Appraisal
The courses were multidisciplinary and comprised 37 representatives from each of the HNE/North Coast hospitals and included GP's, paediatricians and midwives.
They have a record of all participants trained by JHH, but they have not managed a database of all other courses in the region. This will be considered in the upcoming year.
Teaching on the Run has expanded dramatically. They now have local experts running courses interstate as well as developing programs throughout HNE. They have been approached by the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology to run a national Course and IMET and the College of Physicians to run a National Course. This has dramatically expanded the role of HNE in this region as a leader in educational delivery.