Maternity Multiple Patient Simulation

Abstract

Background

Graduate nursing students are expected to care for multiple patients upon graduation and licensure. However, students may have limited exposure to multiple patient assignments in the clinical setting due to limited census, faculty to student ratios, and facility policy. It is critical to equip students with the necessary skills to manage multiple patient assignments in all nursing specialties to promote graduate nurse success.

Innovation

Limited literature exists regarding multiple patient simulations with students enrolled in a maternity nursing course. Therefore, a simulation was created that introduces junior-level maternity nursing students to the complexities of multiple patient assignments including prioritization of care, task delegation, and patient safety.

Implication

This paper will discuss the planning and implementation of an unfolding multiple patient simulation that focuses on pre-eclampsia, second stage of labor, and postpartum hemorrhage. This educational innovation project can be used in other maternity clinical courses to allow nursing students to prioritize care for high-acuity maternity patients.

Conclusion

Future research is needed to determine the impact of maternity focused multiple patient simulations.