Implementing Delivery Room Checklists and Communication Standards in a Multi-Neonatal ICU Quality Improvement...

Area of Science:

• Perinatal quality improvement
• Neonatal resuscitation protocols
• Healthcare communication strategies

Background:

• Current neonatal resuscitation guidelines emphasize briefing and debriefing.
• Effective communication and evidence-based practices are crucial for neonatal resuscitation.
• The California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC) introduced the Readiness Bundle (RB) to enhance delivery room management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the implementation and impact of the Readiness Bundle (RB) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the RB in improving communication and adherence to best practices during neonatal resuscitation.
• To determine the sustained compliance and satisfaction with the RB after a quality improvement collaborative.

Main Methods:

• The RB included a checklist for high-risk resuscitations and structured briefings/debriefings.
• Implementation was encouraged, and compliance was tracked monthly for up to 6 months post-collaboration.
• Participant satisfaction with the RB was evaluated.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four NICUs participated in the CPQCC Delivery Room (DR) collaborative.
• Initial compliance with the RB was 0%, rising to a median of 71% during the collaborative.
• Compliance further increased to 80% in the 6 months following the collaborative, with 100% of NICUs recommending the RB.

Conclusions:

• The Readiness Bundle (RB) demonstrated rapid adoption and sustained compliance.
• The RB effectively improved teamwork and communication in the delivery room.
• The study recommends the inclusion of the RB in future Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines.