Fellow Physician John H Stroger hospital of Cook County Health Chicago, Illinois, United States
Background: Simulations have been a cornerstone in teaching procedures and resuscitation algorithms to trainees in NICU. They have effectively increased confidence, link knowledge with clinical practice, and enhance effective procedural skills. A study by Simmons focused on enhancing confidence in managing neonatal cardiac emergencies, showing significant post-participation improvements in recognizing congenital heart defects and timely cardiology consultation. Another study by Ghoneim evaluated delivering bad news using SKIPES protocol via simulation which showed improved retention with repetitive simulations. There is an increasing trend to use simulations in NICU training along with resuscitation and procedures. Though the scope of simulation in neonatal medicine is growing, the quality of simulation varies and there is insufficient data in the literature on effective structural designs for neonatal simulations. Objective: To improve neonatal fellows’ self-efficacy and confidence while managing common neonatal diseases in our NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) through simulation-based education. Design/Methods: Prospective educational cohort study conducted in the NICU for the neonatology fellows. Likert scoring scale will be used to gauge confidence, self- efficacy, self-perceived leadership qualities by administering the pre and post simulation questionnaire. Each fellow completed six validated simulations based on NICU scenarios, with both pre-brief and debrief sessions. Questionnaire responses were coded for anonymity. All statistical analyses will be performed using SAS 9.4. Statistical significance would be defined as p < 0.05. The difference between the pre and post intervention Likert scores will be tested using the Wilcoxen rank-signed test.
