Extending “Helping Babies Breathe” to an Academic Setting in Fiji: A Project Involving American Nursing Faculty and Graduate and Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Approximately 2.5 million neonates died worldwide in 2018. Over one quarter of neonatal deaths are caused by birth asphyxia. Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) was created to teach basic neonatal resuscitation steps in limited-resource settings. Fifteen Fijian faculty members attended a master teacher class. Nine undergraduate nursing students from the western United States assisted in teaching two HBB classes for Fijian nursing students. Fijian faculty and student knowledge increased significantly posteducation. Educational settings provide ideal locations for future nurses to learn and practice evidence-based neonatal resuscitation skills. Implementing HBB in an academic setting, though novel, may ensure educators are familiar with current guidelines.