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Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) 7th Edition

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New 7th Edition!
Powerful resource for interactive, simulation-based teaching and learning!

The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is an educational program jointly sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA). The course is designed to teach an evidence-based approach to resuscitation of the newborn to hospital staff who care for newborns at the time of delivery.

New in the 7th edition!
Text updated to reflect the 2015 AAP/AHA Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care of the Neonate
Two new chapters added covering post-resuscitation care and preparing for resuscitation
140+ new full-color photographs replacing most line drawings

313 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1991

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183 people want to read

About the author

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is the largest professional association of pediatricians in the United States. It is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, and maintains an office in Washington, D.C. The AAP has published hundreds of policy statements, ranging from advocacy issues to practice recommendations.

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5 stars
190 (48%)
4 stars
143 (36%)
3 stars
46 (11%)
2 stars
11 (2%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Stephanie.
327 reviews17 followers
October 2, 2016
I had to read this book for work and it was ok. Informative and boring.
Profile Image for Jess Tomlin Schirmer.
9 reviews
December 22, 2023
Very necessary information but pretty dry. I like the QR codes. The ending was boring but will help me to achieve breathing babies in my profession hopefully. 😄
Profile Image for Cassidy Elaine.
26 reviews6 followers
April 22, 2019
A thorough work that will educate any healthcare professional on the means of neonatal resuscitation. Though I have a background in emergency and trauma, only rarely do I work with pediatric patients, so I was nervous to lean this skill. I found practicing resuscitation with a group, using the NRP Healthstream, and attending the certifying class helped immensely, but the simple fact is--without this textbook--I would have failed the exam portion. This textbook was a wonderful introduction into the neonatal and fetal world. As a Certified Nursing Assistant and midwife assistant, I help with many different health needs, but my education has been limited. This textbook built on my limited knowledge--it was thorough and explained a lot of physiology, but was immensely practical. There is even an example early on about the difference between adult cardiac arrest and neonatal post-birth trauma. This explanation felt like the first "stair step" into understanding the difference physiologically in the needs of the adult demographic versus neonates in need of resuscitation. Being able to grasp the normal priority--respiratory support--and understand my role as a part of a resuscitation team has greatly increased my confidence working with neonates and pediatric patients at large. Now I am excited to assist midwives with delivering babies, whereas, before I would have been scared if a baby struggled to take their first breath in my presence.
Profile Image for Grace.
137 reviews3 followers
June 14, 2021
As far as textbooks go, this one was very easy to get through. It was good that the final chapter acknowledged ethics and compassionate care.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,043 reviews24 followers
February 23, 2022
There are several new things in this edition. Change in the pre-birth questions, time applying the cardiac monitor, flushing with 3 mL of normal saline, making dosages easier, cessation of respiratory efforts at 20 minutes instead of 10.
I decided to get this from my hospital library instead of purchasing a copy myself. Check your hospital libraries guys. I did like the option to use my phone's camera to pull up video using the QR codes that illustrated the text. Nice touch.
There is only one thing I did not like about the manual as with many manuals. It asks questions without providing the answers so you are pushed to go back to the text. I already read the text. If I didn't get it from the text the first time, the text was not good enough. Place the answers close to the question.
Then repeat all the questions you asked during the book at the back with the answers supported by page numbers for an easy self quiz.
I do miss the old NRP Healthstream video game. I saved all the babies. Some people found it too complicated. You had to know everything to complete the tasks and save the baby. I perfected my skills with this method.

RQI (two stars only) review and exam: The online review through RQI that goes with the course is difficult to start. The basic NRP card does not have a number on it so I had to call Healthstream and they were able to help me in about 20 minutes. RQI hung up on me and sent me a form letter. Unimpressive.
The review and exam are informative if you don't mind the constant niggling about how confident you are concerning answers. Then confidence level criticism.
" I thought you wanted on the screen hoping you would not bug me. Please leave me alone." It also tells you how long you spent on a current task. Well that current task was coupled with me walking the dog, doing the laundry/ dishes etc. This information was not helpful. I miss the old exam provider, Healthstream. Unfortunately they charged the hospital every time participants retook the exam. I only had to take it once. For others, not so much. If they charged us for playing the NRP video game, I may have been culpable. I loved saving the babies. In real life sometimes it's not so easy.
I did like that they continue to focus on what you don't know. That was my favorite part.
There were a couple parts where I put one answer instead of giving the multiple answers they wanted. It would have been nice to know that multiple answers were needed and not the best answer.
I passed the first time through although I don't feel as comfortable with the material as I did with Healthstream. I think it was stupid to charge the hospital every time one of us took the test.

At this time I have finished my course and passed with flying colors The practical part was easy. The worst part was dealing with RQI who has still NOT EMAILED ME BACK. WOW. FAIL. I wish my hospital had not paid for these guys. My educator at the hospital is not a fan. I would have had a hard time if I had not taken this course before.
Profile Image for Laila.
102 reviews
April 19, 2016
OVERALL RATING: 4.6/5
I read this book as a requirement for my Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and found it to be informative and straightforward. The text thoroughly and frequently reviews key concepts and the principles of neonatal resuscitation, while building on the foundations of NRP. Overall, the book was easy to read and well-structured.


Was this book entirely a waste of time? No. It contains content that is useful for healthcare providers, especially those working with neonates.
Would you re-read this book? Perhaps. I'd be more inclined to re-read this book if I was working in a setting that would frequently draw on NRP knowledge and skills.
Did you like the premise? Not really applicable; the premise is essential to healthcare.
Did you like the way the concepts were presented? Yes. Although it felt somewhat tedious to have the information frequently reiterated throughout the text, it did drive the information into my memory.
If part of a series, do you feel the need to start the next book soon? N/A
Would you recommend this book to readers in general? No, I don't think general readers would be interested in the core concepts of NRP.
Who would you recommend this book to? I would recommend this book to healthcare providers, especially those who will be working with neonates that may require resuscitation.


5/5 I loved this book. It was either incredibly entertaining, useful, or life altering in some capacity. This is a book I will reread and highly recommend
4/5 I liked this book. It was solid and enjoyable. For fiction, I enjoyed it but I wasn't captivated and didn't get too attached. For nonfiction, it was mostly good or helpful, although it didn't change my life. These books are somewhat recommended to others. Also, I would reread if necessary or time permits.
3/5 the book was okay. I liked the book enough, but I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2/5 I didn't like the book. Period.
1/5 I would use this book in a bonfire (and not for lack of fuel)
Profile Image for Rachel.
246 reviews11 followers
March 29, 2016
This textbook teaches the basics of neonatal resuscitation. The text itself is reasonably accessible and the material seems fairly comprehensive for what's needed, though I found the information in each chapter to be somewhat disorganized (clearer section headings might have helped). The corresponding exam was similarly disorganized, and some of the questions in each section pertained to material from other chapters. They're coming out with a new edition in May 2016 -- hopefully the new edition and exam are easier to navigate.
Profile Image for Ebster Davis.
658 reviews40 followers
June 20, 2016
The layout reminds me of the old Reader's Digest magazines for some reason. The book has huge margins perfect for taking notes (I used a lot of post-it notes, they're the perfect size). The text is larger font and easy to read.

A lot of the information is a bit redundant (especially the NRP flow graph); with the aim of helping you retain information. I started filling in the graph with further clarifying information as I learned it in the chapters.

I enjoyed this book as a practical guide, and I think the rationales and the visuals provided made the information more accessible.
Profile Image for Zach.
21 reviews1 follower
June 24, 2009
read this book in preparation for my residency. not a terribly written book in the end. it accomplishes the educational goal by lots and lots and lots of repetition. this is okay for a while, but gets old quickly. in the end however, i passed my NRP test without any problems, so the book works.

a side note: the color plates in the middle of the book were adequate, though a broader spectrum of pictures (particularly meconium babies) would have been appreciated.
7 reviews
May 14, 2011
This is actually easy to read, even for those who don't have a medical background (google is your friend when you don't understand some words). Apparently the British method around neonatal resuscitation is better, at least according to the at home midwifery world.
Profile Image for Christina Harris.
34 reviews7 followers
November 14, 2012
A solid 4 stars. Excellent content but boring, albeit necessary. I would have rated it higher had it prepared me a bit better for the chapter exams.
Profile Image for Amanda.
60 reviews2 followers
April 8, 2013
Clear and concise. It does a great job of explaining the concepts, but it won't be my new coffee table book or anything. ;)
Profile Image for Tracy.
18 reviews
September 8, 2013
Very clear presentation of information. The accompanying DVD is excellent as well.
Profile Image for Paige.
9 reviews
October 6, 2023
Excellent book if you want to learn how to bring babies back to life. Taught me everything I know.
Profile Image for Hope.
2 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2017
Well laid-out guide that provides both key summaries and more extensive rationales with clear graphics to serve multiple learning styles. Addresses evidence-based changes from previous editions. While the flow chart is a concise overview of the order of steps, the text lacks a clear overview of the timeline for each step of resuscitation, which makes application challenging in the simulation environment particularly for new learners. Overall, an essential skill set and text for all healthcare providers in the intrapartum and neonatal settings, which could be improved by a clearer timeline in future editions.
Profile Image for Tabi A.
574 reviews
December 5, 2018
Textbook is laid out so logically that the NRP flowchart makes perfect sense!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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