Video recording in neonatology: the need for objective measures and collaboration

Video recording is a powerful, yet underutilized tool within the field of medicine, especially with regard to resuscitation and procedures.Video recording enables direct evaluation of work as done rather than work as imagined.Video recording allows the accurate assessment of timing, order, and response to interventions during resuscitations.Additionally, it can be leveraged to assess provider, team, and system performance.2][3] To date, most studies using video recording in neonatology take place in the delivery room and primarily evaluate task performance and guideline adherence.A few studies have shifted away from this focus to evaluate non-technical skills and have adopted human factors tools to evaluate system performance. 4,5n the current paper, Heesters et al. describe the development of an interprofessional video review program of neonatal procedures with the aim to identify areas for improvement.Over the course of 9 months, they recorded 48 procedures and held 18 30-min interprofessional video review sessions.The review sessions were well attended with 81% of providers attending at least one session and a mean of 17 providers per session.During these sessions, providers offered their reflections and perspectives regarding the procedure.These reflections were then evaluated to identify areas for improvement by the study team, after which they were then categorized and addressed through action research cycles.The authors took a unique approach to neonatal video review in several ways.First, the current study examined neonatal procedures including delivery room stabilization, intubations and MIST procedures, and sterile line insertion in both the delivery room and the neonatal intensive care unit.Most neonatal video review studies to date have focused solely on delivery room stabilization.Second, the authors took a deliberate approach to creating an interprofessional review program, selecting procedures that included both nurses and physicians and opening review sessions to both professions.They facilitated increased attendance of these professions by offering the sessions frequently (every 2 weeks) and both in-person and virtually.They recognized the importance of collaborative work between professions with different skill sets and areas of expertise.Creating safe opportunities for interprofessional feedback and reflection can contribute to improved comradery and culture.