Nurses of government hospitals, who play a critical role in the care of newborns at the special neonatal care units (SNCU), are now being trained in neonatal resuscitation. They are learning the nuances of resuscitation to save babies suffering from asphyxia.
On Friday, one such Neonatal Resuscitation Programme was launched at the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital (GVMCH). Forty staff nurses working at the SNCUs at GVMCH, Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, government hospitals at Tirupattur, Cheyyar, Harur and Gudiyatham attended the training programme.
E. Theranirajan, head, Department of Paediatrics, GVMCH, said the training programme was held following an instruction from the Mission Director of Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project and National Health Mission. “This was keeping in mind the need to improve neonatal care and reduce mortality,” he said.
As per data in 2014, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) was 20 per 1,000 live births in Tamil Nadu. “One of the major reasons, that is, close to 70 per cent was neonatal mortality rate. Among this, there was early neonatal death -- that is death within first seven days of birth. Hence, there was a need for nurses, who play a critical role, to concentrate and save babies and prevent long term consequences,” he explained.
The training programme was held with the aim of providing basic knowledge in neonatal resuscitation for nurses working in SNCUs. Following theory sessions, the nurses were divided into five groups, with one faculty member allotted to each group. “We had hands on training sessions for the nurses. Arranging equipment, intubation, chest compression after intubation and drugs to be administered were taught demonstrated to them using mannequins,” he said. The nurses were trained on how to handle pre-term babies, twins and triplets in difficult situations. “The babies could suffer from asphyxia in-vitro, during delivery and due to pregnancy induced hypertension in mothers. What is the most important thing is the ventilation of the lungs of the newborn,” Dr. Theranirajan added. He said the nurses should follow the neonatal resuscitation algorithm to stabilise the newborns as per the American Heart Association and American Pediatrics Association guidelines. “We also told them on how to transport newborns after stabilisation in the neonatal transport incubator to the SNCU,” he said.
K. Venkatesan, clinical emergency lead, consultant paediatrician, South Tyneside, NHS Trust, Newcastle, United Kingdom was one of the faculty members. Usha Sadasivam, dean of GVMCH inaugurated the programme.
