Birth to Discharge: Neonatal Simulation Clinical Experiences

With an increase in nursing programs to combat the projected nursing shortage, there is more competition for clinical sitesfor Obstetric-Neonatal clinical rotations. Obstetric and neonatal simulation clinical experiences are being substituted forhospital clinical rotations and for lack of patients during clinical rotations. A technical college in Southeastern UnitedStates 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 Obstetric-Neonatal patients. Neonatal nursing care is related tothe type of disorder the pregnant patient is admitted with to the Antepartum/ Intrapartum Simulation Laboratory HospitalUnit. 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 thescenarios. Nursing students use fetal monitoring to identify fetal complications to provide appropriate nursing care to theneonate after delivery. This use of simulation clinical experiences has been endorsed by the National Council of State Boardsof Nursing and the National League of Nursing as a substitute for hospital clinical rotations. The significance of usingObstetric-Neonatal simulation clinical experiences is increased understanding by nursing students of the entire antepartumthrough postpartum nursing care and discharge process. Using the high-fidelity manakins and fetal monitoring, nursingstudents can obtain hands-on experience when unable to obtain the clinical experience due to lack of a hospital rotationsite or lack of patients during their hospital clinical rotation.