NORWAY — The providers and staff at Stephens Memorial Hospital Family Birthplace recently participated in high fidelity simulation training provided by the Maine Medical Center — Hannaford Center for Safety, Innovation and Simulation to practice emergency drills and scenarios.

The training provides a realistic, high-tech setting that allows participants to build or enhance their clinical skills and team communication in a more realistic setting. The simulation training was set up in a patient room at the Family Birthplace and live video was observed in the classroom by the participants. This was the first time the training was performed in a rural hospital setting.

The half-day mandatory training was for all providers and Family Birthplace staff, as well as administrative supervisors who also manage the department. The training featured sophisticated mannequins known as patient simulators. Patient simulators are designed to mimic human physiology, from blinking and breathing to accurately responding to medication. The staff at the Family Birthplace receives mandatory annual trainings; however, this was the first time utilizing this high-tech equipment.

The training consisted of scenarios that were developed by a team from the Family Birthplace at Stephens Memorial Hospital, Maine Medical Center and The Hannaford Center for Safety, Innovation and Simulation which included simulation nurse educator Micheline Chipman RN MSN CCRN, perinatal outreach nurse educator Kelley Bowden MS RN, chief of obstetrics Carolyn Costanzi MD, Alison Newton RN OBS & ES nurse director and Jeanne Rosato RN assistant nurse manager, OBS.