Introducing Neonatal Education for Prehospital Professionals™ (NEPP™) 

Out-of-hospital births have increased by 55% over the past decade. In 2022, there were 83,007 out-of-hospital births, with 65% at home and 29% in freestanding birthing centers.1 

The Neonatal Education for Prehospital Professionals™ (NEPP™) course from the American Academy of Pediatrics® (AAP®) was developed in response to this change. The NEPP course provides specialized training and prepares prehospital clinicians to confidently assess, resuscitate, and stabilize newborns in out-of-hospital emergency settings.  

Why Take the NEPP Course?

The NEPP course is a new True Adaptive™ eLearning experience that helps prepare providers to respond to high-risk, low-frequency scenarios so that prehospital teams can build knowledge and confidence, from initial assessment to transport coordination.  

The course: 

• Focuses on the unique challenges of out-of-hospital neonatal resuscitation. 
• Equips prehospital providers to perform rapid assessments and life-saving interventions. 
• Builds confidence in managing emergencies with limited resources and minimal support. 
• Strengthens skills in coordinating safe transport while supporting families during high-stress situations.   

What Neonatal Resuscitation Topics Does the NEPP Course Cover?  

Developed with the latest Neonatal Resuscitation Program® guidelines in collaboration with specialists in EMS and neonatal care, pediatric emergency medicine, and professionals with experience on the ground, the NEPP course addresses the realities of prehospital care.  

The course includes 5 modules to support a continuous care journey: 

1. Prepare: Introduction & Preparation for Birth in the Field

• Prepare for an anticipated field delivery 
• Select essential resuscitation equipment 
• Prioritize ventilation and newborn transition 
• Prevent ineffective ventilation and hypothermia 

       2. Assess & Ventilate: Initial Assessment & Ventilation

• Apply key newborn care concepts 
• Identify assessment and ventilation needs 
• Use deferred cord clamping appropriately 
• Clarify roles, priorities, and stabilization 

       3. Resuscitate: Neonatal Resuscitation

• Apply ventilation corrective steps 
• Select and use advanced airway devices 
• Perform chest compressions when indicated 
• Manage bradycardia, access, and goals 

      4. Stabilize: Post-Delivery Care & Complex Conditions

• Recognize complications and complex conditions 
• Apply stabilization and neuroprotection 
• Adapt care for prematurity or anomalies 
• Maintain temperature during field transport 

      5. Support: Systems of Care, Documentation, & Family/Provider Support

• Navigate regional systems of care and EMS coordination 
• Provide family-centered care while maintaining scene control  
• Support families during resuscitation and separated transport 
• Apply best practices for documentation, crew support, and recovery 

Self-Paced eLearning for the Entire Prehospital Team 

The NEPP course is completely online, self-paced, and designed for the entire prehospital team with no prerequisites. The course leverages True Adaptive learning technology that personalizes content according to each learner’s skills and knowledge. Participants are eligible for continuing education credits.  

Developed by Leading Experts in Neonatal and Prehospital Care 

The NEPP Project Advisory Committee is composed of nationally recognized experts in neonatal and prehospital care, including EMS Medical Directors, EMS clinicians and educators, neonatal transport nurses and respiratory therapists, neonatologists, pediatric emergency medicine physicians, and researchers and advanced practice providers with expertise in neonatal resuscitation, transport medicine, and out-of-hospital neonatal care. 

Learn More in the Introducing NEPP Webinar

The Introducing NEPP webinar is an easy way to learn more about the course. You’ll hear directly from two NEPP Program Advisory Committee Co-Chairs who contributed to the curriculum:  

• Joelle Donofrio-Odmann, DO, FAAP, FACEP, FAEMS, professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine and medical director of emergency medical services at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego 
• Rudy Kink, MD, FAAP, EMS director at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and medical director at Pedi Flite 

 Build the knowledge and confidence to respond to out-of-hospital births. Enroll in the NEPP course today.