Who's teaching neonatal resuscitation to housestaff? Results of a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate current patterns of training in neonatal resuscitation in US residency programs in general pediatrics.

METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to the chief residents and directors of all US residency programs in general pediatrics to determine who provides supervision and teaching of neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room and neonatal intensive care unit. This questionnaire also inquired as to the use within these residency programs of standardized resuscitation training courses such as Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation Program.

RESULTS: Residents in their third and second years of training are most often cited as responsible for supervision and teaching of neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room, whereas attending neonatologists are cited most frequently as being responsible for these tasks in the neonatal intensive care unit. Pediatric Advanced Life Support is required by virtually all US residency programs, followed in frequency by Neonatal Resuscitation Program and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

CONCLUSIONS: Because those in training collectively provide much of the supervision and teaching of neonatal resuscitation, vigilance is required so that appropriate resuscitation skills are developed and maintained. Objective performance markers may be useful in assessing competency in caring for sick newborns.neonatal resuscitation, delivery room, Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support.