Special Helper: CSI Nursing Program Receives Birthing Simulator

By Joshua Palmer, The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho

May 10–TWIN FALLS — It may be a small addition to the College of Southern Idaho’s growing nursing program, but it’s one that will help future nurses protect the newest addition to many families throughout the valley.

The College of Southern Idaho’s department of Health Sciences and Human Services will begin using a labor and delivery simulator next semester. The simulator — known as NOELLE — will give nursing students hands-on practice in labor and delivery procedures.

Nursing instructors say the applied practice will help students become more comfortable and familiar with common — and not so common — delivery practices.

“Right now our students just play an observational role during delivery, but with this (the simulator) they will learn to be familiar with what they do and to do it quickly,” said Kathy Fagerland, assistant professor. “Most of the time there are little or no problems during delivery, but when something starts going wrong it can go downhill very fast.”

Hospitals usually do not hire recent graduates to work in labor and delivery because of the unpredictable nature of the field. However, the nursing shortage in Idaho and other states has many hospitals seeking younger and less experienced nurses to assist in labor and delivery.

Fagerland said the nursing program will work with area hospitals to provide refresher courses to nurses who are currently working in labor and delivery.

“We do have students being hired directly into labor and delivery,” she said. “But when they get hired into that specialized of a field it can be very intimidating, so we hope to decrease that fear by letting them practice on the simulator.”

NOELLE is the fifth addition to the college’s growing line of computerized simulators that can talk, breath, vomit and even turn blue in the face. An instructor controls the life-like simulator from a computer in a separate room while other instructors monitor each student’s performance.

Nursing students will spend seven to 14 hours practicing with the new $3,500 simulator, which was purchased with grant money.

Times-News writer Joshua Palmer covers education. He can be reached at jpalmer@magicvalley.com or at (208) 420-0526.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho

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