Helping Babies Breath (HBB)

The School of Nursing Sciences is preparing for the 2nd African neonatal nursing conference to be held on 14th and 15th November 2019. The conference which will be in Nairobi Kenya will be hosted by the School of Nursing Sciences (SONS), University of Nairobi in collaboration with the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN. The Helping Babies Breath training was held as a pre-conference for the upcoming conference.

Helping Babies Breath (HBB) is meant to teach birth attendants how to care for the newborn at birth. HBB focuses on the ‘The Golden Minute” when stimulation to breathe and ventilation with bag and mask can save a life. HBB training is designed to be part of a program for Essential Newborn care, which covers important aspects of care in the first days after birth such as warmth and breastfeeding in more depth.

The HBB training is the initiative of Patty Kelly from Denver, USA, who is the master trainer. Patty is a registered Nurse, currently retired but focusing on teaching Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) all over the world. She trains health professionals on skills in neonatal health, through Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), Essential Care for Every Baby (ECEB), and Essential Care of the Small Baby (ECSB).

HBB training helps in ensuring the babies breath within their first minute of life. It mainly focuses on ensuring ventilation.

Patty came along with other nine trainers who were from different countries and states and different health professionals. In the group were doctors (physicians, neonatologist) nurse practitioners and nurses. They were:

1. Patty Kelly – Denver, USA
2. Elizabeth Siddons – Australia
3. Peg Arnett – Salida, Colo
4. Eva Stazzoni – Phoenix, Arizona
5. Jordan Leonard - Phoenix, Arizona
6. Jessica Barnes – Sanata Monica, USA
7. Lindsay Gamache – Alberta, Canada
8. Franceesca Mquelverser, Little Rock, USA
9. Courtney Nicholas – San Diego, USA
10. Arlene Garingo – Los Angeles, USA

Objectives

The objectives of the training were:

1. To build capacity of health care providers managing newborns.
2. To create more publicity for the upcoming neonatal nursing conference

   The training

   There were two groups that were trained. The first group was trained on 26th and 27th August and the second group on 28th and 29th August 2019. Out of the first group, nine facilitators were identified and mentored during the training to be trainers and trainees.

    

   A total of 65 participants were trained during the workshop. The attendees of the training came from different parts of the country. The Counties represented during the training were Garissa, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Kiambu, Thika, Embu and Nairobi. The health facilities/ institutions represented included Kenyatta National hospital, Pumwani Maternity hospital, The Nairobi Hospital, Nairobi South hospital, Revival health centre – Langata, Moi Teaching and Referral hospital, St. Michael hospital, Runyenjes, Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital, Garissa County Referral hospital, Kiambu County hospital, Central memorial hospital, Thika, Kenya Medical training College – Gatundu and the University of Nairobi School of Nursing Sciences.