Pj. Davis et al., Paediatric trainees and the transportation of critically ill neonates: experience, training and confidence, ACT PAEDIAT, 90(9), 2001, pp. 1068-1072
Aim: To study the experience of, training in, and confidence in the transpo
rtation of critically ill neonates amongst paediatric trainees in one UK re
gion. Design: An anonymized questionnaire was sent to all middle grades wit
h paediatrics National Training Numbers from the Trent region. Results: The
response rate was 78%. Less than half (45%) of the respondents reported re
ceiving any training in the transportation of neonates, either in the UK or
abroad; 45% (30/66) of the trainees reported having performed 10 or fewer
neonatal transfers. The self-perceived confidence for transporting neonates
was scored on a 10-point scale, to produce a "confidence score", the media
n score being 7 (IQ range 5, 8). Both as a group and individually, the trai
nee paediatricians were more confident in transporting neonates than older
infants or children (p < 0.0001). Using multiple analysis of covariance, it
was found that the most important and significant variables affecting the
"confidence scores" for the inter-hospital transportation of critically ill
neonates were receipt of any relevant transport training, and the current
frequency of transports performed.
Conclusions: Many training-grade paediatricians lack both the experience an
d training in transporting critically ill neonates, factors that were found
to affect their confidence in transferring sick neonates. As the overwhelm
ing majority of neonatal transports in the UK are still arranged by individ
ual units and performed by training-grade paediatricians, concerns regardin
g both the safety and effectiveness of the current service provision for th
e inter-hospital transfer of critically ill neonates remain valid.