The lifelike training manikins in Elliot Hospital’s state-of-the-art Simulation Lab are designed to help caregivers prepare for unexpected situations in real-life settings. – Clinical Nurse Specialist Shirley Jackson, Perinatal Safety Nurse Paula Wellde, Clinical Nurse Educator, Pediatric Services Patti Laliberte, and Elliot Hospital’s manikin, “Sven.” (Photo by Jodie Andruskevich)
Health Care When it came time for Victoria to give birth to Tory, clinical staff and nurses at the Elliot Hospital were on-hand to monitor their progress. There were complications. 26 | ENTERPRISE 2019
Luckily, the birth, in this case, was taking place at the Elliot’s state-of-the-art Simulation Lab, and Victoria is one of three of Elliot Health Systems’ manikins – lifelike training simulation tools designed to help caregivers prepare for unexpected situations in real-life settings. “Tory is very lifelike,” says Paula Wellde, a perinatal safety nurse at the Elliot. “It moves like a newborn to the point where it startles people who are in sessions with the baby. Victoria is the obstetrics model. She blinks, talks and interacts quite a bit. It really is quite lifelike.” The manikins, which cost in the range of $135,000, help advance clinical training at Elliot Health System, improving outcomes for both mothers and newborns – particularly those who experience complications during birth. The technology allows for differing complexities and obstacles to be introduced into training scenarios so that when difficult situations arise in the delivery room, clinical workers are better prepared to respond. “Based on what the participants are doing, we can alter their functions to improve or get
worse,” says Clinical Nurse Specialist Shirley Jackson. “They can then interact with the simulator in that manner.” Meaghan Smith, director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Elliot Health System, says the use of simulation in obstetrics and high-risk labor and delivery scenarios allows caregivers to prepare for unplanned and emergency situations that arise – scenarios that can range from postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia and heart problems to maternal cardiac arrest, infections and amniotic fluid embolism. Training administrators use a tablet to interface with the manikin, allowing them to coordinate functions to desired scenarios, tracking vital signs and introducing features they’d like to see addressed or treated. Wellde says a feedback debriefing is usually provided at the end of a simulation, allowing for training to take place “right in the moment.” “Simulation training facilitates teamwork and deepens critical thinking in learners of all levels and is comprehensively designed to help improve patient safety in women’s health through