A delivery room-focused education and deliberate practice can improve pediatric resident resuscitation training.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if deliberate practice and simulation would improve pediatric residents' neonatal resuscitation abilities.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort with pre-post-intervention design. Senior residents from 2008 to 2009 were evaluated and served as controls (C-Senior, N=23). Interns (PL-1, N=28) from 2008 to 2009 received the education and evaluation at the beginning (I-Pre) and end of their NICU rotation (I-Post) and again when they were seniors (I-Senior, N=24). The education, based on deliberate practice, included scored assessments of a resident's ability to assemble delivery room equipment and lead a simulated resuscitation.

RESULT: PL-1 equipment score increased by 30% (I-Pre; 53%, I-Post; 83%) and was not different 1 to 2 years later (I-Senior; 87%). I-Senior equipment score was 22% higher than the C-Senior group (C-Senior; 65%). The PL-1's ability to lead a resuscitation improved after the education (I-Pre; 76%, I-Post; 85%) and was maintained as senior residents (I-Senior; 85%), but was not superior to the C-Senior group (C-Senior; 81%).

CONCLUSION: The use of deliberate practice and simulation can improve a residents' resuscitation training, particularly for equipment.