A delivery room-focused education and deliberate practice can improve pediatric resident resuscitation training

Objective:to determine if deliberate practice and simulation would improve pediatric residents’ neonatal resuscitation abilities.study design:prospective cohort with pre–post-intervention design. senior residents from 2008 to 2009 were evaluated and served as controls (c-senior, n=23). interns (pl-1, n=28) from 2008 to 2009 received the education and evaluation at the beginning (i-pre) and end of their nicu rotation (i-post) and again when they were seniors (i-senior, n=24). the education, based on deliberate practice, included scored assessments of a resident's ability to assemble delivery room equipment and lead a simulated resuscitation.result:pl-1 equipment score increased by 30% (i-pre; 53%, i-post; 83%) and was not different 1 to 2 years later (i-senior; 87%). i-senior equipment score was 22% higher than the c-senior group (c-senior; 65%). the pl-1's ability to lead a resuscitation improved after the education (i-pre; 76%, i-post; 85%) and was maintained as senior residents (i-senior; 85%), but was not superior to the c-senior group (c-senior; 81%).conclusion:the use of deliberate practice and simulation can improve a residents’ resuscitation training, particularly for equipment.