Michelle Sherlin
Holyoke Community College, USA
Title: Novel approach to educating nursing students in perinatal care using a multipatient simulation
Biography
Biography: Michelle Sherlin
Abstract
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.