Contents of referral letters by primary healthcare workers to the children emergency unit of a teaching hospital in a cosmopolitan state in Nigeria

Communication between primary healthcare workers and paediatricians is important, if we want patients to receive the right type of care at the right moment. The aim of the study is to assess the contents of information of referral letters issued by primary healthcare workers to the children emergency unit. Descriptive cross-sectional analyses of 142 consecutive referral letters from primary healthcare centres during the study period were evaluated according to specific quality criteria. Twofifths of the letters had no deducible identity of the writers. There-quarter of the referral letters that had the identity of the writers known were written by medical officers. Asignificant proportion of the referral letters lack adequate information. The proportion of Good referral letter practice was 2.11%. This study showed that referral letters written from various primary healthcare centres to the children emergency ward of a teaching hospital is generally of unacceptable quality and the content could be improved upon.Keywords: healthcare. emergency, referral, qualit

Acute kidney injury and necrotizing enterocolitis complicating sever perinatal asphyxia - Case Report

No Abstract

Teaching Nurses Neonatal Resuscitation: Knowledge gained from a Neonatal Resuscitation Training Program

Neonatal care provided within the first few minutes of life plays a major role in the reduction of neonatal morbidity and mortality. At least one health care worker knowledgeable about neonatal resuscitation should be at the delivery. To evaluate the knowledge gained following Neonatal Resuscitation Program training courses for nurses. Nurse-midwives attending the annual Neonatal Resuscitation Program of the Pediatric Association of Nigeria was trained according to the American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program module which included didactic and practical teaching participated in the study. Assessment was by direct observation within the seminar room and written pre- and post-test evaluations with practical evaluation after the training session. 281 nurse-midwives were trained at the Neonatal Resuscitation Program workshops between 2010 and 2013. Overall average score was 10.58 (±2.73) and 14.02 (±2.19) for pre-test and post-test respectively and observed difference was significant (p = <.001). The results suggest that participation in Neonatal Resuscitation Program course significantly increased knowledge of neonatal resuscitation by nurses. Keywords: Neonatal Resuscitation Program; Birth asphyxia; pre-test; post-test; Nigeri