Can parental simulation improve neonatal CPR performance? A pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Parents of premature infants require basic life support (BLS) training before hospital discharge.
• Knowledge retention from traditional BLS training is a significant concern for parents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term effectiveness of adding simulation-based training to standard BLS instruction for parents of premature infants.
• To determine if simulation enhances parental preparedness for managing emergencies involving their infants.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted.
• Fifty parents were randomized into two groups: a study group receiving additional BLS simulation and a control group receiving traditional training only.
• Performance was assessed approximately one week post-intervention by two blinded investigators.

Main Results:

• The study group, which included 19 parents, demonstrated significant improvements across all assessed performance parameters compared to the control group.
• Simulation training positively impacted parental confidence and skill recall.

Conclusions:

• Integrating a single simulation session before discharge can enhance short-term parental performance in basic life support.
• Simulation-based training presents a valuable and effective tool for improving BLS preparedness in parents of high-risk infants.