Protecting Mother and Baby Through Simulation

In health care education, a revolution is taking place in the form of high-fidelity simulations that allow students to learn and teams to practice by doing.

Your donations have played a fundamental role by establishing a permanent financial bedrock through endowed gifts. Your generosity empowers us to fund initiatives, like the childbirth simulator, a joint project of the departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Emergency Medicine.

“Simulation allows teams to practice events in a safe setting, so there is a great opportunity for the training of our health care students and new providers," says Dr. Robin Clouston, a physician in Emergency Medicine and one of three leads working on this initiative.

Babies don't always wait for the drive to Saint John. The Sussex, Charlotte County, and Grand Manan Emergency Departments attend these births without access to on-site obstetric support.

Serious events associated with childbirth do not happen very often, even in large birthing centres. Our medical teams get little opportunity to become efficient in responding to these emergencies.

The childbirth simulator will bridge this gap. The computerized simulation manikin is extremely realistic – anatomically accurate and able to "die" during a simulated scenario.

Dr. Clouston shares that the simulator will allow teams to fine-tune team management of more common obstetric complications along with more infrequent events. She adds: “It will particularly benefit our rural emergency departments, where access to a labour and delivery unit is not close at hand.”