Research Day
Pediatric Residents’ Perceptions Of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Training: An Experimental Study Of Simulation Versus Video
Document Type
Abstract
Date
2019
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is characterized by significant physiological and behavioral symptoms involving multiple organ systems in neonates following a prenatal exposure to opioids and other non-opioid drugs. NAS can have serious morbidity, and even death, if unrecognized and untreated. This study developed a simulation model of a standard video training of the Finnegan NAS Scoring System and investigated the perceptions of comfort and competency of pediatric residents undergoing video or simulation training.
METHODS: Thirty-one pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents participated in this single blinded randomized intervention study. The experimental group completed demonstrated simulation while the control group received the traditional video instruction. Both groups completed FNAS scoring on a case of a neonate with NAS. The FNAS scores of residents were compared to the scores of two expert raters. Pre- and post-training and preference surveys were obtained from all participants.
RESULTS: Both experimental and control groups scored the FNAS scenario similarly and were also similar to the expert raters. Both groups also reported comparable levels of comfort and competency after the training, though first year residents reported greater improvement than upper level residents. The FNAS scores from expert raters were identical for the simulation and video scenarios.
CONCLUSION: Simulation training of NAS scoring can be developed to the same fidelity as an established video format and engender the same level of comfort and competence. Opportunities exist for increasing interactive simulation methods and training medical professionals in an interdisciplinary manner using simulation on the FNAS scoring tool.