Susan Nabakooza completed the St. Jude 15-month International EBP Nursing Fellowship program and EBP project utilizing the expertise from St. Jude Global Nursing and the nursing team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program strengthened her evidence-based practice competencies as a pediatric oncology nurse from a low- and middle-income country, developing her as a change agent who has positively impacted patient care and the work environment. Susan's project aim was to improve Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) survival rates for pediatric cancer patients. CPR for children with cancer presents significant challenges for healthcare providers at the Uganda Cancer Institute. Nurses have performed CPR without guidelines or training.

Over the past two years, 12 patients have received CPR and none have survived. Initial training sessions have been completed and CME sessions enhanced the knowledge, confidence, and competence of using CPR guidelines among UCI pediatric oncology nurses, thus hoping to improve practice and patient survival outcomes going forward. Thirteen nurses completed the initial training. Their average knowledge score increased from 50% in the pre-test to 88% in the post-test yielding a 38% improvement in the nurses’ knowledge of CPR. Post-training checklist average score for skill competence and confidence was 91.5% and training satisfaction was 93%. Eleven nurses participated in CME sessions and demonstrated an overall increase to 96% in competence and confidence average score. Initial trainings sessions and CME sessions enhanced the knowledge, confidence, and competence of using CPR guidelines among UCI pediatric oncology nurses, thus hoping to improve practice and patient survival outcomes going forward.