Implementation mapping to plan for the Supraglottic Airway for Resuscitation (SUGAR) trial

Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is an essential component of neonatal resuscitation. Meta-analytic evidence suggests that, among late preterm and term newborn infants who require resuscitation after birth, a supraglottic airway (SA) device is more effective than a face mask at reducing the probability of PPV failure and reducing the need for endotracheal intubation. However, SA devices are rarely used in routine practice in hospital delivery room settings within the United States.

In preparation for a pragmatic hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial, we used implementation mapping to identify barriers and facilitators to SA use; develop a logic model; identify and operationalize implementation strategies targeting key barriers and facilitators; and refine strategies based on iterative feedback from clinicians and administrators (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse managers, and respiratory therapists). We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to organize barriers and implementation strategies.

Across open-ended survey responses and focus groups, identified barriers included: (1) mixed perceptions of the advantages or disadvantages of SA compared to alternatives; (2) insufficient education and training in SA use; and (3) lack of perceived need for an alternative to intubation as a standard practice. The research team's understanding of these barriers and selection of implementation strategies to address them were refined throughout the iterative implementation mapping process, which resulted in the selection of two sets of implementation strategies to be tested in a hybrid trial.

The implementation mapping process described in this paper provides an exemplar of a systematic and partner-engaged process to identify and select implementation strategies for the purpose of hybrid trial design.