Neonatal resuscitation program guidelines 2006: ready, steady, can't go!

New evidence-based guidelines have been launched with recommendations that may impact how resuscitations, particularly of LBW infants, are enacted.

to determine current resuscitation practices in Maternity units in Ireland and benchmarked these results to a recent study in the United States.

A 20-question survey was developed and mailed to a lead neonatologist/paediatrician in each of 19 maternity units in Ireland in May 2006.

There was 84% response rate to the surveys mailed which included 10 level II and 6 level III units. NRP qualification was considered obligatory for all paediatrics doctors in all units, with 14/16 units running at least one NRP course per year (range 1-9). Self inflating bags were more commonly used (44%), followed by T-piece resuscitators (31%) and flow inflating bags (25%). Pulse oximeters to alter the fraction of inspired oxygen were used by (25%) of units during the management of very low birth weigh infants, with a useful signal being achieved in one minute in most cases. Air/oxygen blenders were available for (44%) of units; however, all units use 100% O2 for initial resuscitation. CO2 detectors for ETT position were used in only 2 units (12%). A third of units (31%) used plastic wrap to prevent heat loss in VLBW infants. CPAP/PEEP were used by 44% of the surveyed units, generally with initiating pressure of 5 cm H2O.

NRP is now an obligatory feature in all NICU's in Ireland compared to the 1990s when resuscitation training was disorganized and inconsistent. Variations in resuscitation practices still exist among different units. Many units may not be able to apply 2006 NRP guidelines especially for VLBW infants unless there is a significant investment in air/oxygen blenders, pulse oximeters, CO2 detectors and resuscitators that control peak pressures and CPAP/PEEP.