Growth Mindset Moderates the Effect of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program on Performance in a Computer-Based Game Training Simulation

Abstract

This study examines for the first time the moderating role of growth mindset on the association between the time elapsed since participants' last refresher neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) course and their performance on neonatal resuscitation tasks in the RETAIN computer game training simulation. Participants were n = 50 health-care providers affiliated with a large university hospital. Results revealed that growth mindset moderated the relation between participants' task performance in the game and the time since their latest refresher NRP course. Specifically, participants who completed the course more recently (i.e., between 8 and 9 months before the current study) made significantly more mistakes in the game than the rest of the participants but only when they endorsed lower levels of growth mindset. Implications of this research include growth mindset interventions and increased screen time in simulation sessions that have the potential to help health-care providers achieve better performance on neonatal resuscitation clinical tasks.

The RETAIN Simulation-Based Serious Game—A Review of the Literature

“…In the board game, players train their knowledge and communication skills while working together as a collaborative team ( Figure 1) [13]. In the computer game, players practice their individual knowledge and decision-making skills within the neonatal resuscitation algorithm ( Figure 2) [14]. After a player performs a task, feedback is provided, including information about the infant's visual appearance, breathing, heart rate, oxygen saturation, etc.…”

“…Cutumisu et al (2018) sought to investigate whether HCPs' performance on the RETAIN computer game was moderated by players' self-endorsed mindset (i.e., growth mindset vs. fixed mindset) [14]. Growth mindset is the belief that effort can improve one's abilities, in contrast to fixed mindset which endorses that one's abilities are inherent [19,20].…”

“…Cutumisu et. al (2018) recruited 50 healthcare professionals (e.g., neonatal registered nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, consultants, and fellows) who underwent NRP provider recertification within the last 24 months to play the RETAIN computer game [14]. Participants with no previous experience with RETAIN were recruited from a tertiary perinatal center.…”

“…Participants with no previous experience with RETAIN were recruited from a tertiary perinatal center. The primary outcome of this study was to measure the number of tries participants required to complete all levels of the game, predicted by the time since participants' last NRP course, and moderated by growth mindset [14].…”

“…Participants completed a demographic and growth-mindset questionnaire; followed by a tutorial and three rounds of the RETAIN computer game. Each round was comprised of a resuscitation scenario, which became increasingly difficult, thereby requiring a longer action sequence of wider variety to be successful [14]. Round 1 consisted of an infant whose airway needed suctioning, while Round 2 had an infant requiring mask ventilation and chest compressions; followed by Round 3 of an infant needing mask ventilation, chest compressions, and epinephrine.…”