Impact of New Tools of Simulation-enhanced Peer Learning on Neonatal and Maternal Mortality

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Neonatal Mortality; Maternal Mortality
• Interventions: Other: Active peer learning

• Registration Number: NCT04904380
• Lead Sponsor: Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Brief Summary

In the vast majority of developing nations, frontline birth attendants are often the only care providers responsible for newborn care including newborn resuscitation, thermal care, feeding and administration of medications. These midwives need knowledge and skills to provide all these newborn clinical care needs. However, frontline birth attendants in these circumstances are seldom exposed to the training and decision support tools that would empower them to holistically assess, decide and manage newborn babies in their care. Current training opportunities are fragmented and need to be administered as a comprehensive package.

A combination approach to training, skills retention, and the use of decision support tools such as Protecting Infants Remotely by SMS (PRISMS) and Augmented Infant Resuscitator (AIR) may provide a comprehensive package for the acquisition and retention of knowledge and skills on newborn care and empower birth attendants to provide effective, timely interventions.

Detailed Description

The investigators will implement the Sim for Life Impart, Retain, Empower and Monitor (IREM) module at the University of Jos teaching Hospital and 4 high volume health facilities in Tanzania in addition to the Uganda sites. We propose to implement the program with all its components for each of the partner institutions.

The Sim for Life IREM module combines four strategies: Impart skills using Helping Babies Survive (HBS)/Helping Mothers Survive (HMS) courses, Retain skills (Simulation), Empower birth attendants (PRISMS and AIR) and Monitor progress objectively. The simulation sessions for health facilities will be conducted using the peer to peer learning methodology which equips participants with the skills to facilitate simulation scenarios in their health facilities. The scenarios will be provided by the Sim for life team. The topics for the scenarios will be based on common maternal and newborn illnesses like post-partum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis and prematurity.

All health facilities in this study will require smart phones for the PRISMS application, resuscitation practice tables, source of electricity to charge a phone, practice manikins / associated practice supplies and peer learning cards.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2021-04
• Study First Submitted: 2021-04-30
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-05-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-05-26
• Study First Posted: 2021-05-27
• Last Update Posted: 2021-05-27
• Study Start: 2021-10-01
• Primary Completion: 2022-12-30
• Study Completion: 2023-12-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 3456

Inclusion Criteria

• Newborns babies
• Mothers delivering at participating health facilities
• Health workers providing maternal and newborn care services at participating health facilities

Exclusion Criteria

• Health care workers not providing maternal and newborn care services
• Male patients
• Non pregnant female patients seeking care at participating health facilities

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention	Active peer learning	HMS, HBS and peer learning in combination with AIR and PRISMS
Comparison arm	Active peer learning	HMS, HBS and peer learning in combination with PRISMS but no AIR

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neonatal mortality	Neonatal mortality at 18 months	Neonatal mortality
Maternal mortality	Maternal mortality at 18 months	Maternal mortality

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Length of stay in hospital	18 months	Number of days as length of stay
Completeness of newborn assessment	At admission	Completeness of newborn assessment checklist