Training of neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructors

BackgroundThe Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations 2010 supported simulation-based training for education in resuscitation. This approach has been introduced into neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NCPR) courses in Japan, but no method for teaching instructors has been established. We developed a course for training instructors of NCPR, with inclusion of an instruction practice program. The goal of the study was to evaluate the performance of instructors who completed the course. MethodsBased on problems in the conventional instructor training course (old course 1), we developed and implemented a new course. Persons who had completed an NCPR course took the new course after developing two resuscitation scenarios. The new course included lectures and instruction practice, in which participants provided instruction using these scenarios. Instruction by participants was evaluated, and knowledge, opinions and satisfaction were examined by questionnaire after the course. Activity of the participants as instructors for 6months after certification was also evaluated. The performance of trained instructors was compared between the old and new courses. ResultsOf 143 participants in the new course, >90% had confidence to teach NCPR, while only 50-60% of the 89 participants in the old course indicated that they could instruct on resuscitation procedures and practice (P<0.001). All participants in the new course recognized the value of scenario practice and all were glad they had taken the course. For 6months after certification, significantly more participants who had done the new course worked as instructors compared with those who had done the old course (60% vs 34%, P<0.001). ConclusionThis is the first trial of a resuscitation training course using scenarios that participants developed themselves. A new course including instruction practice for training NCPR instructors was effective for improving instructor performance.