Birth to discharge: Neonatal simulation clinical experiences

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Cheryl DeGraw

Central Carolina Technical College, USA

: J Womens Health, Issues Care

Abstract

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With an increase in nursing programs to combat the projected nursing shortage, there is more competition for clinical sites for Maternal-Neonatal clinical rotations. Maternal and Neonatal simulation clinical experiences are being substituted for hospital clinical rotations and for lack of patients during clinical rotations. A technical college in the Southeast is using five-hour simulation clinical experiences, in which Obstetric and Neonatal high-fidelity manikins are utilized, as substitutes for hospital clinical rotations or lack of Maternal-Neonatal patients. Neonatal nursing care is related to the type of disorder the pregnant patient is admitted with to the Antepartum/Intrapartum Simulation Laboratory Hospital Unit. Three patient scenarios are used for the clinical experiences: neonates born to mothers with gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or preterm labor. Neonatal complications such as hypoglycemia and prematurity are incorporated into the scenarios. Fetal monitoring is used for nursing students to identify fetal complications in order to provide appropriate nursing care to the neonate after delivery. This use of simulation clinical experiences has been endorsed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the National League of Nursing as a substitute for hospital clinical rotations. The significance of using Maternal-Neonatal simulation clinical experiences is increased understanding by nursing students of the entire antepartum through postpartum nursing care and discharge process. Using the high-fidelity manikins and fetal monitoring, nursing students are able to obtain hands-on experience when unable to obtain the clinical experience due to lack of a hospital clinical rotation site or lack of patients during their hospital clinical rotation.

Biography

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Cheryl DeGraw has many years of experience in Maternal-Child nursing care. She is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and has provided nursing care at all levels of the Newborn Nursery and NICU, Labor & Delivery, and on Postpartum or Mother-Baby Units. With an Education Specialist degree, she is currently the lead instructor for Family-Centered Nursing Care at a technical college in South Carolina. She developed Maternal/Neonatal Simulation Clinical Experiences (SCEs) to provide alternative clinical rotations to hospital settings and to increase nursing student's understanding of the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and newborn nursing care.

E-mail: degrawcl@cctech.edu