Facility and care provider emergency preparedness for neonatal resuscitation in Kano, Nigeria

• Published in: PloS one 2022-01, Vol.17 (1), p.e0262446-e0262446
• Main Authors: Usman, Fatima, Tsiga-Ahmed, Fatimah I, Abdulsalam, Mohammed, Farouk, Zubaida L, Jibir, Binta W, Aliyu, Muktar H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attitudes; Biology and Life Sciences; Births; Cardiac resuscitation; Consent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Demographic aspects; Emergency management; Emergency Medical Services - methods; Emergency preparedness; Emergency response; Engineering and Technology; Evaluation; Female; Fertility; Health aspects; Health care; Health Facilities; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Personnel; Humans; Infant mortality; Infant, Newborn; Infants (Newborn); Knowledge; Local government; Low level; Male; Medical care; Medical personnel; Medicine and Health Sciences; Middle Aged; Midwifery; Neonates; Newborn babies; Nigeria; Nurses; Pediatrics; Physicians; Quality management; Questionnaires; Resuscitation; Resuscitation - methods; Sociodemographics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching hospitals; Ventilators; Workers; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262446

The knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency neonatal resuscitation are critical requirements in any facility that offers obstetric and neonatal services. This study aims to conduct a needs assessment survey and obtain individual and facility-level data on expertise and readiness for neonatal resuscitation. We hypothesize that neonatal emergency preparedness among healthcare providers in Kano, Nigeria is associated with the level of knowledge, attitudinal disposition, practice and equipment availability at the facility level. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was administered to a cross-section of health providers directly involved with neonatal care (n = 112) and attending a neonatal resuscitation workshop in Kano state. Information regarding knowledge, attitude, practice and facility preparedness for neonatal resuscitation was obtained. Bloom's cut-off score and a validated basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care assessment tool were adopted to categorize outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to determine independent predictors of knowledge and practice. Almost half (48% and 42% respectively) of the respondents reported average level of self-assessed knowledge and comfort during resuscitation. Only 7% (95% CI:3.2-13.7) and 5% (95% CI:2.0-11.4) of health providers demonstrated good knowledge and practice scores respectively, with an overall facility preparedness of 46%. Respondents' profession as a physician compared to nurses and midwives predicted good knowledge (aOR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.69; p = 0.01), but not practice. Healthcare provider's knowledge and practice including facility preparedness for emergency neonatal resuscitation were suboptimal, despite the respondents' relatively high self-assessed attitudinal perception. Physicians demonstrated higher knowledge compared to other health professionals. The low level of respondents' awareness, practice, and facility readiness suggest the current weak state of secondary health systems in Kano.