Dr Andrew Hooper1, Ms Elizabeth Stearne1, Ms Jenn Gallop2, Dr Alexander Wilson2
1Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations, Jandakot, Australia, 2Perth Children’s Hospital, Newborn Emergency Transfer Service Western Australia, Nedlands, Perth
Abstract:
Newborn Life Support (NLS) is an essential skill for retrieval clinicians, who may be required to provide resuscitation to a newborn in a remote environment or during aeromedical retrieval.
In Western Australia, approximately 7% of babies are born in remote locations, and over 25% of neonates require resuscitation. Neonates in remote and very remote settings are at higher risk of requiring resuscitation at birth.
The incidence of RFDSWO attending deliveries outside of birthing centres is increasing, and it is vital that retrieval clinicians’ practice is contemporary and is consistent with the current national and state recommendations and guidelines.
Retrieval clinicians currently undertake NLS training through external providers, which has been shown to improve knowledge, skills and neonatal outcomes, but courses are not tailored for the unique challenges of the retrieval environment. An internal survey of RFDSWO clinicians in January 2022, highlighted Newborn Life Support education as a priority for these clinicians.
In response to these challenges, RFDSWO and the Western Australian Newborn Emergency Transport Service (NETSWA) partnered to create an NLS short-course to provide dedicated RFDSWO specific NLS training for retrieval clinicians, utilising RFDSWO equipment and including scenario and simulation-based training in retrieval settings.
The course is based on the validated NeoResus program, and is delivered by NeoResus-qualified facilitators and retrieval specialists.
The first courses were delivered in November 2022, with flight nurse and medical retrieval clinician participants, at metropolitan and regional bases.
Participant feedback on the courses was collected, to understand the impact of the course, guide course development and to assess the requirement for ongoing NLS education and training at RFDSWO.
This presentation explores the development of the course, key learnings from inter-agency and inter-professional collaboration, participant responses and the future of delivering pre-hospital and retrieval focussed critical care education.
Biographies:
Dr Andrew Hooper is an Aeromedical Consultant and Head of Clinical Education at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations.
He has a passion for clinical excellence, innovation and the development of new ways to deliver high quality critical care to patients in rural and remote settings.