Medical Skills Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Neonatal Transport Teams: A European Delphi Consensus Study

AIM: This study aimed to identify and prioritise medical skills for inclusion in a simulation-based training curriculum for interdisciplinary neonatal interhospital transport teams.

METHODS: A modified three-round Delphi process was conducted. We included 144 healthcare professionals (101 physicians and 43 non-physician healthcare professionals including nurses, nurse practitioners, paramedics and respiratory therapists) with neonatal transport experience from 14 European countries. In Round 1, participants suggested medical skills. In Round 2, skills were prioritised using a modified Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation Needs Assessment Formula. In Round 3, skills were re-prioritised and eliminated based on consensus (> 75% agreement).

RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 21 medical skills for physicians and 34 for non-physician healthcare professionals. The highest-ranked skills for physicians included manual non-invasive ventilation, set-up of mechanical ventilation, chest compressions, endotracheal intubation and umbilical venous catheterisation. For non-physician healthcare professionals, the highest-ranked skills included set-up of the transport incubator, monitoring, administration of intravenous infusions and set-up of infusion drivers.

CONCLUSION: This study identified and prioritised medical skills for physicians and non-physician healthcare professionals on neonatal transport teams, which supports the development of simulation-based training aligned with the clinical complexity and interdisciplinary nature of neonatal transport.