In 2010, the International Liaison Committee On Resuscitation (ILCOR) guidelines for care of the newborn baby immediately after birth were published.

Using a questionnaire that was distributed to a sample of 44 prehospital emergency physicians (April 2014), we assessed knowledge of these guidelines, in particular specificities for newborns as compared to adults. Twenty-five questions, starting with a birth with no problems to one resulting in neonatal distress, were used to profile the practice of the surveyed physicians.

Among the solicited physicians, 30 responded to the questionnaire (68%). Priority was given to efficient respiratory resuscitation during the first minutes of extrauterine life and the difficulties of newborn respiratory adaptation are well-known, but their implementation remains imperfectly understood. The assessment showed very mixed results, partly explained by the low frequency of newborn scenarios experienced by the practitioners who responded to the questionnaire.

To move from guidelines to their practical implementation is always delicate, with room for improvement such as continuing education, knowledge assessment and practice in the context of a quality approach. Well accepted, this evaluation process could be renewed upon publication of the next guidelines on this subject, thus contributing to their knowledge.