What happens after helping babies breathe training is complete? A prospective cohort study of Nigerian health care workers

Abstract

Background: Neonatal mortality remains disturbingly high in Nigeria. Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) is an evidence based neonatal resuscitation (NR) educational program designed to teach NR in resource limited areas. There is no information in Nigeria on what happens after health care workers (HCWs) complete HBB training. Aim: To determine if HCWs who received HBB training utilized the acquired knowledge and skills (K&S) and engaged in any on going peer training. In addition, we studied HCW turnover one year after HBB training completion. Subjects and Methods: Seventy-two HCWs were trained in HBB, and surveyed 1 year later using a 10 item questionnaire. Data analysis used measures of central tendency and t testing. Results: Most HCWs reported the use of HBB daily. The commonest NR method used was suctioning (89.5 %), followed by drying and positioning (86%), however there was 0% reported use of bag mask ventilation. Most HCWs (98%) reported sharing K&S with colleagues. Following training, 100% HBB trainers remained at original employment but 53% HBB providers moved to new employment and did not utilize their HBB K&S at their new employment site. Conclusion: Frequent, brief, refresher practice sessions and implementation of a system for raining new hires may improve HCW readiness for NR and their peer mentoring capabilities. Ensuring adequate equipment availability is critical for HCW to utilize acquired K&S. Significant HCW turnover occurred within a year of training. Trained HCW who left to new employment subsequently had limited impact at their new place of employment.

Keywords

• neonatal resuscitation
• helping babies breathe
• health care workers