Multidisciplinary Neonatal Emergencies Simulation Team-Training (NEST) Improves Participant’s Confidence in Dealing With Simulated Neonatal Emergencies

Abstract

Background: A traditional medical curriculum has limited emphasis on communication skills, teamworking, and human factors. Simulation-based training emphasizes these skills and positively impacts patient safety. A group of Indian neonatologists in collaboration with their UK colleagues conducted adapted Neonatal Emergencies Simulation Team-training (NEST) courses in India. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of NEST courses in India and analyze the participant’s feedback Methods: A total of 16 NEST courses were conducted between November 2014 and February 2016. Structured pre- and postcourse feedback from participants was analyzed. Key domains studied included structured approach, human factors, situation-background-assessment-recommendation tool, and teamwork in an emergency. Each category was rated from 1 to 5, indicating a low to high scale. Pre- and posttraining scores and scores between centers were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test, respectively. Results: A total of 191 feedbacks from 58 nurses and 133 doctors from 4 centers were analyzed. The comparison of self-reported pre- and postcourses showed a significant improvement across all domains. There was no statistical difference between scores from different centers showing consistent course results. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that the NEST multiprofessional course can be collaboratively delivered. The analysis of feedback shows a significant improvement in the candidate’s self-reported ability across all domains related to the application of the course principles to simulated neonatal emergencies.