Objective: We sought to standardize and improve compliance with evidence-based premedication for non-emergent neonatal intubations in two academic-affiliated Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
Study design: A multidisciplinary team created guidelines and electronic medical record order sets for intubation. Compliance with recommended premedication, number of intubation attempts, and frequency of bradycardia and desaturation were assessed.
Results: 387 intubation procedures were reviewed. Provision of recommended premedication increased by 36% and 75% at the level III and IV units, respectively. Decreased frequency of bradycardia during intubation (p = 0.0003) occurred in the level III unit. A reduction in number of intubation attempts (p ≤ 0.001), improvement in first-attempt intubation success (p ≤ 0.001), and decreased frequency of bradycardia (p = 0.01) and desaturation (p = 0.02) during intubation occurred in the level IV unit.
Conclusions: This quality improvement initiative improved standardized premedication compliance and decreased adverse events associated with non-emergent neonatal intubations in two separate units.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.