Building Nurse Capacity Related to Neonatal Resuscitation Training in Hyderabad, India, Using the Knowledge to Action Framework

Abstract

In India, 1.7 million children did not reach their 5th birthday in 2010. Some of these deaths could have been avoided with knowledge and training on Helping Babies Breathe® and Essential Care for Every Baby. In international settings, where the ratio of health care providers to the population results in a scarcity of resources, task shifting of complex care to nurses rather than physicians is a common practice. According to the World Health Organization (2010), countries with the lowest healthcare workforce capacity have the poorest health outcomes and the highest infant mortality rates. This article addresses the knowledge gap in neonatal nursing care and newborn resuscitation skills among nurses and midwives in India using the Knowledge to Action Framework. Continuing education and Helping Babies Breathe in conjunction with Essential Care for Every Baby was provided every year for the last three years. The goal of this capacity building is a way of addressing and possibly reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality.