Novel approach to educating nursing students in perinatal care using a multipatient simulation

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Michelle Sherlin and Teresa Beaudry

Holyoke Community College, USA

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

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With increased nursing school enrollments, the anticipated number of retiring nurses working in perinatal nursing and subsequent need to hire newly graduated nurses, it is imperative that student nurses have perinatal educational experiences beyond the classroom. Our Associate Degree (ADN) nursing program at an urban community college was additionally challenged with limited clinical site placements in labor and delivery because of the number of nursing programs in our geographic area and local BSN programs being priotitized for clinical placements. This was the impetus for the implimentation of a four station perinatal simulation experience for all first year ADN students in our program. Utilizing the Gaumard Noelle birthing simulator, Laerdal Vital sims and Gaumard Newborn Hal simulators, each phase of perinatal care is represented. Students spend 30 minutes caring for patients in each of the stages; latent labor, active labor, transition and delivery to 2 hours post partum. They provide guided care for both the mother and baby in each. Staff from a local hospital provided support to students as well as nursing faculty at each station. Perinatal monitoring software enables students to analyze fetal rhythms. Student feedback has been exceptionally positive and students have successfully achieved learning outcomes over the course of the four years that this simulation has been in place. Students report that this experiential learning opportunity enhances thier understanding and self confidence. Staff at the clinical sites also report that students are better prepared and knoweledgeable about nursing actions in each phase.

Biography

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Michelle Sherlin has diverse experience in the use of patient simulation. Currently she works as the Simulation Specialist for the Division of Nursing at Holyoke Community College. She is responsible for center operations, scenario development, data collection and facilitates all simulations occurring in the center. Recently she published an article in the journal Teaching and Learning in Nursing titled “End-of-life patient simulation lessons learned” which describes a different multistation simulation being successfully implemented in the school of nursing. She has extensive experience in moulage techniques and works diligently, creatively and effectively to bring realism to the simulation environment.

Teresa Beaudry a full-time Professor in Nursing Education at Holyoke Community College and adjunct clinical educator for the University of Massachusetts- Amherst. She currently teaches in a combined Practical and Associate Nursing Education Program with experience with the bachelor and second bachelor’s degree in nursing education. She has been teaching since 2007 with a focus on Women, Newborn and Family Health, Pediatric, and Medical Surgical Acute and Complex Care. She has been in the leadership role as course coordinator and program chair. Active participant in nursing curriculum development and facilitating changes, accreditation with ACEN, and MA-BORN compliance, NCLEX-exam writing success, faculty mentoring and use of experiential teaching through simulation in nursing education