MedNav: Improving Neonatal Life Support (NLS)

Novices resuscitators (Medical Students) were invited to attend a 2 hour teaching session on neonatal resuscitation.

To ensure that the differences in outcome of Neonatal Life Support (NLS) learning are attributable to MedNav only, a simple randomisation process was carried out just prior to testing, where candidates pulled out a folded piece of paper assigning them to either

• No MedNav on performing NLS (control arm)
• Assistance of MedNav when performing NLS

Blinding/masking was not possible for either the candidate or faculty as the testing process involved the use of a tablet device to display the MedNav system.

On entering the room, candidates stated whether they were using MedNav or not. Each candidate was given an identical neonatal resuscitation scenario and technical skills in neonatal resuscitation were assessed using a 12-point mark sheet adapted from the Neonatal Life Support course provided by the UK Resuscitation Council. After testing, all candidates were asked to assess their confidence in performing NLS using a seven point Likert scale.

Candidates were subsequently invited back for a follow-up session at 7 weeks. Testing of the same NLS scenario was undertaken with participants staying in their initial allocation groups. Again technical skills were assessed based on the UK resuscitation council mark sheet and candidates were asked to rate their confidence on NLS after.

For further analysis, a small sample of 9 students from the "non-MedNav" group were asked to perform NLS with the use of MedNav immediately after their secondary testing at 7 weeks. The investigators aim here was to assess if this crossover group had a significant improvement in their task completion owing largely to the use of MedNav.

Inclusion criteria

Imperial Medical students Novice to Neonatal resuscitation Medical students with1 year of clinical experience.

Exclusion criteria

Previous Neonatal training,