Neonatal Life Support Course

Lesson 1 • Fetal Circulation and Transition

Covers fetal shunts, oxygen delivery, and the circulatory changes at birth. Provides the physiological baseline for understanding resuscitation targets.

Lesson 2 • Neonatal Metabolic Homeostasis

Reviews glucose regulation, acid-base balance, and oxygen consumption in newborns. Connects metabolic stability to resuscitation outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Thermoregulation in Newborns

Addresses heat loss mechanisms and the metabolic cost of hypothermia. Establishes why temperature management is integral to every resuscitation.

Lesson 1 • Apgar Scoring in Clinical Context

Explains Apgar components, timing, and limitations as a resuscitation guide. Reinforces that resuscitation must not wait for Apgar scoring.

Lesson 2 • Recognizing High-Risk Deliveries

Identifies antenatal and intrapartum risk factors that predict need for resuscitation. Enables proactive team preparation before delivery.

Lesson 3 • Color and Oxygen Saturation Targets

Defines expected SpO2 ranges by minute of life and distinguishes acrocyanosis from central cyanosis. Guides supplemental oxygen titration decisions.

Lesson 4 • Heart Rate Monitoring Techniques

Compares auscultation, pulse oximetry, and cardiac monitoring for heart rate determination. Accurate heart rate drives every escalation decision in resuscitation.

Lesson 1 • Tactile Stimulation Methods

Describes safe stimulation techniques to elicit breathing and their physiological basis. Distinguishes effective stimulation from harmful maneuvers.

Lesson 2 • Airway Positioning and Suctioning

Teaches neutral head position, sniffing position, and selective suctioning indications. Correct positioning is the foundation of effective ventilation.

Lesson 3 • Warmth and Drying Techniques

Details towel drying, plastic wrap use for preterm infants, and exothermic mattresses. Prevents heat loss during the critical first minutes of stabilization.

Lesson 1 • Mask Selection and Seal Technique

Covers mask sizing, the E-C clamp hold, and common seal-failure causes. A leak-free mask seal is prerequisite to effective lung inflation.

Lesson 2 • Indications and Timing for PPV

Defines the heart rate and breathing thresholds that require PPV initiation. Timely PPV is the single most important resuscitation intervention.

Lesson 3 • T-Piece Resuscitator Use

Explains T-piece device mechanics, pressure settings, and advantages over self-inflating bags. Provides consistent pressure delivery for preterm and term infants.

Lesson 4 • MR SOPA Corrective Steps

Introduces the MR SOPA mnemonic for systematically correcting ineffective PPV. Ensures no corrective step is skipped before escalating to advanced airway.

Lesson 1 • Surfactant Administration via ETT

Explains surfactant dosing, instillation technique, and post-dose ventilation adjustments. Directly applies intubation skills to a critical preterm intervention.

Lesson 2 • Managing Airway Complications

Addresses tube displacement, obstruction, pneumothorax, and right mainstem intubation. Rapid recognition and correction prevent secondary injury.

Lesson 3 • Laryngeal Mask Airway Insertion

Describes LMA sizing, insertion technique, and appropriate clinical indications. Provides a rescue airway when intubation is unsuccessful or unavailable.

Lesson 4 • Endotracheal Intubation Fundamentals

Covers laryngoscope selection, blade insertion, and vocal cord visualization. Builds the procedural foundation for safe neonatal intubation.

Lesson 1 • Volume Expansion in Resuscitation

Identifies hypovolemia signs and the role of normal saline or blood in resuscitation. Addresses when and how to administer volume safely.

Lesson 2 • Coordinating Compressions with Ventilation

Establishes the 3:1 compression-to-ventilation ratio and synchronization technique. Coordination maximizes both cardiac output and lung inflation.

Lesson 3 • Two-Thumb Encircling Technique

Teaches the preferred two-thumb encircling hand position, compression depth, and rate. Generates superior cardiac output compared to the two-finger method.

Lesson 4 • Indications for Chest Compressions

Defines the heart rate threshold and ventilation adequacy criteria before starting compressions. Prevents premature or delayed initiation of cardiac support.

Lesson 1 • Congenital Anomalies Affecting Resuscitation

Reviews diaphragmatic hernia, choanal atresia, and airway malformations and their resuscitation implications. Anticipation prevents harmful interventions.

Lesson 2 • Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid

Clarifies current evidence on routine vs. selective intubation for meconium. Guides assessment and intervention for the non-vigorous meconium-exposed newborn.

Lesson 3 • Delayed Cord Clamping and Cord Milking

Reviews evidence for delayed cord clamping and intact cord resuscitation benefits. Applies physiological transition knowledge to optimize blood volume at birth.

Lesson 4 • Resuscitation of Preterm Infants

Addresses the unique vulnerabilities of infants born before 35 weeks and required modifications. Preterm physiology demands adjusted pressure, oxygen, and temperature strategies.

Lesson 1 • Recognizing Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Describes clinical staging of HIE using neurological examination findings. Accurate staging guides cooling eligibility and prognosis discussions.

Lesson 2 • Withholding and Discontinuing Resuscitation

Addresses gestational age limits, non-survivable conditions, and the 20-minute no-response guideline. Ethical decision-making requires clinical, family, and team input.

Lesson 3 • Therapeutic Hypothermia Fundamentals

Covers indications, eligibility criteria, target temperature, and duration for cooling therapy. Reduces neuronal injury in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy when applied correctly.

Lesson 4 • Immediate Post-Resuscitation Monitoring

Establishes vital sign targets, glucose monitoring, and continuous cardiorespiratory surveillance after resuscitation. Early detection of deterioration prevents re-arrest.