Using a peer mentorship approach improved the use of neonatal continuous positive airway pressure and related outcomes in Malawi

Abstract

Aim: This study evaluated whether peer mentorship was an effective and sustainable way of improving and maintaining knowledge and skills on neonatal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in a low-resource setting with a high turnover of healthcare providers.

Methods: The Malawi Ministry of Health recruited five nurses with considerable CPAP experience and provided them with mentorship training from July to August 2014. The mentors then provided 1-week on-site mentorship for 113 colleagues at 10 secondary and one tertiary hospital where gaps in neonatal CPAP use had been identified. CPAP competencies and outcomes were compared 3 months before and after each mentorship.

Results: In the 3 months before and after mentorship, the average CPAP competency score increased from 32 ± 4% to 97 ± 2%, while CPAP usage increased from 7% to 23% among eligible neonates. Survival following CPAP mentorship increased from 23% to 35%, but this was not significant due to the small sample size. Both mentees and mentors reported useful transfers of knowledge and skills when using CPAP.

Conclusion: Mentorship effectively bridged the knowledge and skills gaps among health workers and increased CPAP use, competency scores and survival rates.

Keywords: continuous positive airway pressure; low-resource country; mentorship; neonatal care; respiratory distress.