Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of different ventilation strategies used in the management of neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba. The study examined both invasive and non-invasive ventilation methods, evaluated their effectiveness in improving respiratory function and survival, and identified the challenges influencing their successful use. It also explored the factors determining the choice of ventilation strategies among neonates with varying degrees of respiratory distress. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design and involved one hundred (100) neonates diagnosed with RDS. Data were collected through a structured checklist developed in line with the study objectives and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The major findings revealed that various ventilation methods were employed in the NICU, including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP), High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC), Conventional Mechanical Ventilation (CMV), and High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV). Among these, CPAP emerged as the most commonly used and most effective ventilation strategy for managing neonates with mild to moderate RDS. The findings also identified several factors that influenced the selection of ventilation strategies, including gestational age, birth weight, severity of RDS, and availability of equipment and trained personnel. Furthermore, the study highlighted several operational challenges affecting ventilation outcomes in the NICU. These included inadequate equipment, limited availability of functional CPAP machines, shortage of trained neonatal nurses and respiratory therapists, frequent equipment malfunction, financial constraints, and occasional power interruptions. These challenges often hindered optimal neonatal care and affected the overall success of ventilation therapy.