Delivery Room Quality Improvement Project Improved Compliance with Best Practices for a Community NICU

A Quality Improvement bundle was implemented with the goal of standardizing the multidisciplinary approach to delivery room management. We used a Pre-Post Quality Improvement initiative with the following aims: (1) Placement of a functioning pulse oximeter by two minutes after birth, (2) Delayed intubation, (3) Normothermia on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Admission, (4) Use of a pre-brief, debrief, and delivery room checklist. Data was collected for 548 infants, which represents every admission to the Palomar Rady Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the 35 month study period from January 1, 2010 to November 30, 2012. The intervention began on May 1, 2011. The objective of increasing the frequency of each goal was met. A significant decrease in rates of retinopathy of prematurity in our post-intervention group was found. Odds ratio 0.00 (0.000, 0.696) p = 0.008. However, this was not confirmed in the multivariable analysis so should be interpreted with caution. This quality improvement project had a positive effect on newborn resuscitation at Palomar Medical Center.