Abstract:

Introduction: Newborn resuscitation is a means to restore life to a baby from the state of asphyxia. It is a single intervention of birth asphyxia. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), over 95% of neonatal deaths occur due to birth asphyxia. In Tanzania, over 61% neonatal deaths occur secondary to birth asphyxia. Ineffective basic resuscitation or a delay in resuscitation response contributes to the significant burden of neonatal mortality and morbidity. This study sought to assess newborn resuscitation knowledge among student nurses in clinical practices at BMC.

Methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study design with convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data from 137 student nurses. Semi structured self-administered knowledge questionnaire for knowledge was used for data collection. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS v20. The data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistic frequency, percentage, and the application of inferential statistical procedures, which included chi-square test.

Results: The study revealed that, more than half of the respondents 65.7% had adequate knowledge. There was significant relationship between newborn resuscitation knowledge and place of study (p=0.003) and level of education (p=0.007).

Conclusion: Majority of student nurses in clinical practices at BMC had good knowledge regarding newborn resuscitation, though specific knowledge regarding appropriate decisions and actions towards newborn resuscitation was poor.