Improving newborn heart rate assessment using a simple visual timer.

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Neonatal Resuscitation
• Cardiovascular Physiology

Background:

• Accurate heart rate (HR) assessment is critical for effective newborn resuscitation.
• Traditional auscultation methods for HR assessment are prone to significant errors.
• Improving HR assessment accuracy can enhance neonatal care outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 6-second visual timer (VT) on the accuracy of heart rate (HR) assessment in simulated newborn resuscitation scenarios.
• To compare the effectiveness of a VT against a standard clock timer (CT) for HR assessment.
• To assess the combined effect of a VT and a training app (NeoRate) on HR assessment performance.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving newborn healthcare professionals.
• A three-phase approach: initial assessment with CT or VT, post-training assessment with CT or VT, and assessment after formal training (Newborn Life Support course).
• Key metrics included HR accuracy (within ±10 bpm and correct HR category), assessment time, and error-free rates.

Main Results:

• The VT significantly improved HR assessment accuracy compared to the CT, both for ±10 bpm (86% vs 70%) and correct HR category (84% vs 78%).
• VT use resulted in faster assessment times (11s vs 15s) and a substantial increase in error-free scenarios (57% vs 24%).
• Training with the NeoRate app further enhanced HR accuracy for both VT and CT methods.

Conclusions:

• A visual timer (VT), particularly when combined with a training application, significantly enhances the accuracy and efficiency of simulated newborn heart rate assessment.
• The findings suggest a potential improvement in neonatal resuscitation practices through the adoption of visual timing tools.
• Further clinical evaluation is warranted to confirm these benefits in real-world healthcare settings.