# The National Pregnancy Resuscitation Program (PRP): Development of a Simulation-based Maternal Cardiac Arrest Program for Credentialing Specialists and First Responders

> **NIH AHRQ R18** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · 2022 · $398,325

## Abstract

Abstract
Non-standardized training when treating patients for maternal cardiac arrest (MCA), has resulted in medical
errors and pregnant women are not receiving optimal treatment -- often because a medical responder did not
provide the right care, or provided care in the wrong sequence or at the wrong time. With a structured and
evidence-based simulation training package that can be applied across medical disciplines, care of pregnant
women who experience cardiac arrest can be improved. The aim of this partnership, consisting of Baylor
College of Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio (CHofSA) Simulation Center, and Northwestern
University Feinberg School of Medicine, is to develop and disseminate the National Pregnancy Resuscitation
Program (PRP). The simulation-based training will address current industry training gaps at all levels of
maternal care, from first responders to in-hospital emergency medical staff and specialists.
As part of this initiative, two simulation training packages, accompanied by new/modified physical maternal
simulators and other simulation tools, will be created: Out-of-hospital MCA (OHMCA; for first responders) and
In-hospital MCA (IHMCA; for hospital based nurses and physicians in obstetric, emergency, neonatal and
intensive care departments). The project will be implemented in three phases:
Phase 1: Development Development of a curriculum using an expert panel to identify evidence-based best
practices, development of simulators and other tools to be used in conjunction with OHMCA and IHMCA
curricula.
Phase 2: Testing Formative testing of curriculum/curriculum tools, creation and pilot testing of an instructor
course, and conduct of reliable and RCT-validated MCA training for out-of-hospital first responders and in-
hospital providers.
Phase 3: Dissemination Creation of an MCA instructional video for public dissemination, dissemination of a
PRP curriculum nationwide for purposes of credentialing first responders and in-hospital medical staff, and
identification and improvement of maternal outcomes by identifying, coordinating and collecting specific data
on MCA.
With the engagement already promised by institutional medical educators and professional associations, this
proposal aims to have the PRP be broadly accepted and utilized, ultimately improving care of MCA patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10490264
- **Project number:** 5R18HS026169-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrea Denise Shields
- **Activity code:** R18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $398,325
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10490264

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10490264, The National Pregnancy Resuscitation Program (PRP): Development of a Simulation-based Maternal Cardiac Arrest Program for Credentialing Specialists and First Responders (5R18HS026169-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10490264. Licensed CC0.

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