The University of Arkansas Community College at Hope Nursing Program would like to invite the public to attend a “Baby Shower” for the nursing program’s new birthing simulation laboratory. “Noelle and baby Hal” will be on display for the public May 7, 2013, from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. These educational manikins will allow UACCH instructors to reenact labor/delivery/pediatrics/postpartum clinical simulations, providing students with hands-on experiences for various patient diagnoses.
Clinical experiences are crucial to students’ understanding of processes for patient treatment. In the Fall of 2009, UACCH began to incorporate simulation as part of weekly practical nursing program clinical hours. Students started out with one 8-hour clinical day, performing various clinical simulations with a high fidelity manikin called Sim Man, purchased in 2007. In 2010, student clinicals increased to include two 8-hour days utilizing more than 40 various clinical scenarios to expose students to critical situations that they would otherwise only observe in the hospital setting. The clinical scenarios include caring for a patient with spinal cord injuries, various heart defects, administering critical medications, and leading in a “code blue.”
Funding for this purchase was provided by grants awards of $33,000 Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and a $30,000 grant from the Carl D. Perkins Foundations. The UACCH Health Professions are pleased to have this addition to the UACCH Nursing Program.
Noelle and baby Hal will assist in training associate degree RN students, practical nursing students, and paramedic students. Noelle can be utilized to fill a community need as well by assisting local agencies, such as emergency medical personnel, with birthing skills and newborn resuscitation measures.
Cyndi Graham, UACCH PN Director and Simulation Lab Coordinator, Ginny Witcher, UACCH PN instructor, and Ainslee Lee, UACCH PN Sim Lab Instructor have all three received 4 days of training to operate computer software and the mechanical functions of Noelle. Practical nursing students have already been utilizing the birthing manikin this spring. Paramedic and associate degree RN students will be utilizing her this summer. UACCH is very excited about the new opportunities that Noelle provides for students. Please join the UACCH Nursing program on May 7 from 2:30p.m until 4:30 p.m. for a celebration of this new addition to the simulation laboratory.
