High-tech training helps high-risk babies

Training techniques that have been used for years in the airline industry are now being put to the test in the healthcare field.

While you’ve probably heard of flight simulators that allow pilots to practice various scenarios before actually flying a real airplane, chances are you haven’t heard of SimBaby.

SimBaby is a life-like manikin that provides realistic conditions for practicing a number of infant-care procedures.

“Before SimBaby, invasive procedures were practiced on objects that did not respond to the caregiver’s actions,” says Debbie Goodwin, Salem Hospital’s education services manager.

“SimBaby allows us to take our training to the next level in a much more realistic setting,” continues Goodwin.

Part of that realism is SimBaby’s ability to cry, breathe, and even have an irregular heart beat. The simulation specialists can set up whatever scenario staff members want to work on.

“It’s such a wonderful tool for not only learning, but also for brushing up on high-risk procedures in a non-threatening environment,” says Jeanine Bauer, clinical nurse educator and one of four hospital staff receiving extensive training on SimBaby in order to become simulation specialists.

But like much of the equipment used in the high-tech world of healthcare, SimBaby is not inexpensive. The cost of the baby and the computer used to program it was $23,000, paid for by a grant from the Salem Hospital Foundation.

“We’re grateful that the Foundation felt SimBaby was a worthwhile project to spend its resources on,” says Goodwin.

The hospital also received outside grants to purchase two SimMans, which use the same technology as SimBaby, but allow training and practice for adult procedures.