Training mothers in infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation with an instructional DVD and manikin.

CONTEXT Classes in infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be time consuming and costly. OBJECTIVE To determine whether mothers in an obstetric unit could learn infant CPR by using a 22-minute instructional kit and to assess the value and confidence they gained by learning CPR. DESIGN Quasi-experimental study with enrollment between January and December 2008. SETTING Obstetric unit in Lehigh Valley Hospital, a suburban teaching hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS Mothers at least 18 years old who had given birth within the previous 24 hours. INTERVENTION The experimental group included mothers without prior CPR training who watched a 22-minute instructional DVD and practiced on a manikin. The control group included mothers with prior conventional CPR training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES In both groups, knowledge and proficiency were assessed with written and practical examinations developed by certified CPR instructors. Participant surveys were conducted at 3 times: immediately before dissemination of course materials, within 24 hours after the mother agreed to participate in the study, and 6 months after initial evaluation. RESULTS A total of 126 mothers were enrolled in the study: 79 in the experimental group, 25 in the control group, and 22 who withdrew from the study. Written and practical examinations were used to determine proficiency, and composite scores were generated, with a maximum composite score of 12. The composite scores were statistically significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group, with median scores of 10 and 7, respectively (P<.001). Twenty-two mothers (21%) had been previously offered CPR training. In the experimental group, 76 mothers (96%) felt more confident as caregivers after learning CPR. Before training in both groups, 84 mothers (81%) stated that learning CPR was extremely important, compared with 100 mothers (96%) after training (P=.001). CONCLUSION Use of an instructional kit is an effective method of teaching CPR to new mothers. Mothers reported that learning CPR is extremely important and that it increases their confidence as caregivers.