Congratulations to Breanna Pickett for completing her MSc

Congratulations to Breanna Pickett on Completing her MSc Thesis!

We are thrilled to congratulate Breanna Pickett for successfully completing her Master of Science degree with the thesis titled: "Relationships between Socioeconomic Factors, Health Systems Factors, Clinical Factors and Advanced Neonatal Resuscitation Interventions in Alberta, Canada."

Background

Neonatal resuscitation is crucial for newborns who struggle to breathe immediately after birth. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is an essential educational framework adopted across Canada to guide healthcare professionals in best practices for resuscitating newborns. About 10% of newborns require some form of resuscitation, with 1% needing advanced neonatal resuscitation interventions (ANRI), such as endotracheal intubation, chest compressions, or the administration of epinephrine.

While previous research has primarily focused on clinical factors associated with neonatal resuscitation, there is limited literature on the influence of non-clinical factors like maternal socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal remoteness of residence. Breanna’s thesis aims to fill this gap by examining the interplay between these non-clinical factors and clinical risk factors in relation to ANRI in Alberta, Canada.

Objectives

Breanna’s research had three key objectives:

1. Scoping Review: To explore the existing literature on the relationship between non-clinical factors such as maternal SES and remoteness of residence and neonatal resuscitation in high-income countries like Canada.

2. Descriptive Study: To analyze trends in neonatal resuscitation and outcomes over 21 years using a population-based dataset of live births in Alberta, Canada.

3. Regression Analysis: To examine how non-clinical factors, alongside clinical risk factors, influence the likelihood of newborns receiving ANRI.

Methods/Design

Breanna’s study was conducted in three parts:

1. Scoping Review:

   • A review of the MEDLINE database revealed ten articles addressing neonatal resuscitation in relation to SES, remoteness, hospital level of service (LoS), and hospital preparedness.

   • The findings highlighted the gap in research on maternal SES and remoteness in relation to neonatal resuscitation in high-income countries like Canada.

   
   

2. Descriptive Study:

   • The study analyzed 966,475 live births in Alberta from 2000–2020. Trends in ANRI rates, neonatal outcomes, and NRP updates were assessed, with hospitals classified by their LoS and rural/urban status.

   
   

3. Regression Analysis:

   • A multivariate logistic regression examined the impact of non-clinical factors on the need for ANRI.

     
     

Results

• Scoping Review: The review highlighted the limited literature on the influence of maternal SES and remoteness on neonatal resuscitation, especially in high-income countries.

  
  

• Descriptive Study: Unpublished - please stay tuned for the results

  
  

• Regression Analysis: Unpublished - please stay tuned for the results

  
  

Conclusion

Breanna’s research sheds light on the relationships between clinical and non-clinical factors in neonatal resuscitation. Her findings will pave the way for future research to improve neonatal care and outcomes for newborns across Canada.

Congratulations again to Breanna on this tremendous achievement!