Improving Healthcare Provider Competency in Neonatal Jaundice Screening Using a Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer in Rwanda
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Umutoni Uwase Alphonsine1, Anne Derouin, Musabirema Priscille
1Author Affiliations: School of Nursing and Midwifery, CMHS - University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda (Dr Alphonsine, Dr Priscille);Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC (Dr Alphonsine, Dr Derouin); andNeo-Pediatric Department, King Faisal Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda (Dr Alphonsine, Dr John Baptist).
Background:
Accurate assessment of neonatal jaundice requires competent healthcare providers. Evidence suggests that educational and competency-building interventions improve provider performance and adherence to evidence-based practices, highlighting the importance of strengthening provider competency to support early detection and neonatal outcomes.
Purpose:
Improving Healthcare Provider Competency in Neonatal Jaundice Screening Using a Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer in Rwanda.
Methods:
A pre-post educational evaluation was conducted among 47 healthcare providers, including nurses, midwives, and doctors, at a large tertiary hospital in Kigali, Rwanda. Competency-based education, hands-on training in TcB use, supervised clinical practice, and monthly performance feedback were provided. Paired t-tests were used to compare baseline and postintervention scores; a run chart was used for monitoring monthly trends, and Cohen d was calculated to assess effect sizes.
Results:
Statistically significant improvements were observed in provider knowledge, practical skills, and documentation accuracy after implementation of the competency-building intervention (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Knowledge scores increased from 80.3% to 91.8%, practical skills from 40.8% to 97.1%, and documentation accuracy from 85.6% to 91.3%. Monthly assessments demonstrated progressive improvement across the implementation period.
Implications For Practice And Research:
Strengthening and sustaining healthcare provider competency should be prioritized to ensure consistent and accurate neonatal jaundice assessment, and future research should evaluate strategies that support long-term adherence to screening practices.
