THE SILLIMAN University College of Nursing recently acquired a high-fidelity birthing mannequin to conduct realistic birth simulation scenarios for student nurses amid the threat of Covid19 pandemic.

“With the implementation of the CMO (CHED Memorandum Order) on flexible learning, SU-CN proposed the purchase of Lucina, a high-fidelity birthing mannequin to meet the delivery room skills competency development of students when actual hospital experiences are unsafe during the pandemic,” SU-CN Dean Dr. Theresa Guino-o said.

Dr. Freslyn Lim-Saco, SU-CN Research and Simulations coordinator, said the wireless childbirth simulator can help faculty member to train student nurses on all stages of delivery including ‘rare emergency situation that is hard to practice on in the real-world setting’.

“Through the use of this simulator, a near-to-reality care experience will occur using a controllable birthing process and safe labor and delivery activities. Lucina allows for students’ active learning engagement in normal delivery, breech birth, shoulder dystocia, and eclampsia case scenarios facilitated by nurse faculty experts,” Lim-Saco said.

“Faculty are being trained to use the Lucina simulator for synchronous virtual simulations for its online classes and in preparation for the limited face-to-face classes. The Lucina is not the first patient simulator at SUCN. We also have two adult patient simulators and an infant patient simulator,” she added.

SU-CN Program of Leadership Excellence in Nursing Dr. Theorose June Bustillo explained Lucina uses the latest teaching technology to provide a life-like delivery experience for students to practice their skills in a convincing and safe environment.

“A realistic simulator is an important learning tool for student nurses. Simulations are not a substitute for real experiences but most of the high-risk scenarios don’t happen very often and nursing students need the simulators to practice on. Practicing on Lucina would mean that our nursing students will be better prepared for real-life births during their clinical rotations,” said Bustillo.

On the other hand, SUCN Graduate Studies Program coordinator Dr. Maria Theresa Belciña said student nurses are guided and supported by a faculty member while they practice in a simulation and are given the chance to improve their performance in the next session without harming a real patient.

“An example is to allow the students to identify what is needed in terms of intervention at a specific period of the scenario,” Belciña added.