USF College of Nursing’s Center for Virtual Learning comes complete with birthing experience for students. On January 23 and January 30, the “Noelle” computerized mannequin will simulate a patient going into labor.

Take a closer look at the photo. The patient is a life-like mannequin in full labor!

As educators begin to adopt and understand all the possibilities that come with using technology in education, the USF College of Nursing is creating unique ways for its students to get hands-on, real-time experiences. On Tuesday, January 23rd and Wednesday, January 30th, a group of nursing students will take part in a 4 hour labor and delivery session in the college’s Center for Virtual Learning. The patient is a computerized manequin named “Noelle”. She’s able to simulate complications, as well, giving students the chance to deal with and learn from their actions during high-stress situations. After all is said and done, nursing students meet Noelle’s “bundle of joy” – a SimBaby!

This unique, pregnant mannequin also simulates a fetal heart rate, providing students with both aspects of the labor & delivery process – caring for mom and newborn. USF nursing students get a complete, first-hand experience before, during and after delivery. Students can view cardinal movements internally and externally as the birth progresses. Professors note the virtual reality learning is also a big help to students during their clinical learning at local hospitals, where they are often called upon as observers.

“Skills that may not be available for practice in a clinical environment are practiced in the lab to increase their exposure,” said USF College of Nursing faculty Jenny Molloy MS, ARNP, RNC, “Because their roles would primarily be as an observer, the skills students may not be able to practice there can be practiced in the simulation lab.”

After the birthing simulations, students spend considerable time debriefing – allowing them to review their actions, step by step.

Noelle is by no means the only simulator in nursing’s simulation lab. Other computer-controlled mannequins, include Sim Man and METI Man. These human like simulators are programmed to exhibit human health conditions. Instructors program the physical symptoms to be manifested in the mannequins. In the case of Sim Man, his symptoms can be changed manually as students administer treatment. METI Man, on the other hand, responds and changes on its own. METI Man is considered the most sophisticated simulator available – adjusting physiological symptoms based on student activity. With the Noelle simulator, students attend lab sessions approximately once a month during their concentration studies in on obstetrics and pediatrics.

“Students learn to think on their feet and enjoy using the simulation lab for practice honing their skills,” said Laura Gonzalez RN, MSN, ARNP, Director of Virtual Simulation and Clinical Experience at the USF College Of Nursing.

Experts say the simulation lab compliments traditional teaching methods as a step away from the didactic. The use of simulators is not intended to replace traditional education, but rather to enhance it. It allows students to make judgements and errors, which experts say improves learning. The process of learning through assessment, evaluation, decision making and error correction is considered a stronger learning environment than passive instruction.

“Memory and retention are clearer with simulation” said, College of Nursing Assistant Professor, Fred Slone, MD, an expert in disaster management and bioterrorism training. “The feelings that they’ve ‘been in the situation’…unless you’ve practiced it and done it, you don’t have that.”

Story by Ashlea Hudak, USF College of Nursing & Lissette Campos, USF Health Communications
Photography by Luis Battistini, USF CONECT