Approaches to neonatal intubation training: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Simulation in Healthcare

Background:

• Neonatal intubation is a critical, complex skill for clinicians caring for newborns.
• Low success rates among junior clinicians necessitate improved training methods.
• Effective skill acquisition, retention, and transfer are crucial for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and assess training approaches for neonatal intubation.
• To evaluate outcome measures for technical and non-technical skills in training studies.
• To identify optimal training methodologies for neonatal intubation.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review using PRISMA-ScR methodology.
• Searched databases from inception to August 2024 for studies on medical practitioners, nurses, and nurse practitioners.
• Included 26 studies involving 1449 participants, charting data on training characteristics and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Diverse training methods were used, with education and simulation-based training (SBT) most common.
• Some studies showed technical skill improvement post-education and SBT.
• Limited evidence for skill transfer from simulation to clinical settings or skill retention beyond initial training was found.
• No studies addressed non-technical skill training outcomes.

Conclusions:

• No single training method provides high-certainty evidence for optimal neonatal intubation training.
• A training bundle of education, SBT, and supervision is suggested.
• Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding non-technical skill training, skill retention, and transferability to diverse clinical environments.