National survey of neonatal transport teams in the United States

Abstract

Objective: Neonatal transport in the United States is a complex process; however, little is known about the neonatal transport team (NTT) workforce. The purpose of this national study was to describe the US NTT workforce.

Participants and methods: An exploratory, descriptive design that used a Web-based survey questionnaire was used. We identified 398 NTTs, and 345 (86.7%) were enrolled. One survey was completed per team.

Results: Ten NTTs did not complete the survey (response rate: 84.2%). Of the 335 completed surveys, 229 (68.4%) were from unit-based teams and 106 (31.6%) were from dedicated teams. Twenty-six different NTT compositions were used. All except 1 (n = 334) had a registered nurse or a neonatal nurse practitioner as a team member. A registered nurse-respiratory therapist team composition was the most common for unit-based (40.2%) and dedicated (44.3%) teams. Dedicated teams used rotor and fixed-wing modes of travel more frequently, transported further distances, and had higher transport volumes than unit-based teams. The median transport volumes reported suggest that as many as 68 797 critically ill neonates are transported each year.

Conclusions: There is wide variation in many aspects of neonatal transport, including orientation, determination of readiness for independent transport, use of protocols to guide transport care, and quality assurance activities. These results will be useful for (1) evaluating existing transport services, (2) guiding necessary changes in training or services, and (3) aiding programs that seek to develop a neonatal transport program.