The Impact of Utilizing Simulation in Teaching Obstetrics to Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

The Bachelor of Nursing program at the East Carolina University College of Nursing currently provides obstetrical clinical at four hospitals throughout eastern North Carolina accommodating an average of 120 clinical students per semester.  The hospitals range from small community hospitals to a tertiary care medical center.  The diverse locations offer students varied opportunities to immerse themselves in obstetrics. While these clinical rotations offer invaluable learning opportunities for the students, many students lack clinical exposure to many of the more complex intrapartum concepts and complications. To ensure students are able to apply these intrapartum concepts to real life patient care scenarios, a study is underway to assess the impact of a complex vaginal delivery simulation on the learning of the undergraduate nursing students in the obstetrics class. This initiative seeks to integrate critical thinking by utilizing feedback surveys from students to assess learning outcomes among undergraduate nursing students enrolled in obstetrics.