Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies successfully coordinated a mobile simulation training event at the Family Birthing Center (FBC) at Hartford HealthCare Manchester Memorial Hospital in Manchester, Conn.
The initiative was part of the Nurse Midwifery program’s ongoing effort to enhance clinical training and strengthen community partnerships under a Maternity Care (MatCare) Nursing Workforce Expansion grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA).
The Egan School, in collaboration with OBGYN and Midwifery of Connecticut, held three training sessions over the course of two days. More than 30 nurses and providers attended the sessions, and feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. Participants reported an increased sense of preparedness, which translates to greater confidence during real-life emergencies.
Simulations were led by Stephanie Welsh, DNP, CNM, FACNM, clinical midwifery faculty specialist, and Jenna LoGiudice, PhD, CNM, RN, CNE, FACNM, FAAN, professor and director of the Nurse Midwifery Program. Two nurse midwifery students assisted.
For the on-site training at FBC, the Egan team mobilized a high-fidelity obstetric simulator. The advanced simulation model is instrumental in preparing clinicians to manage rare but critical obstetric emergencies, such as shoulder dystocia and vaginal breech birth.
“This was the first time that we transported simulation equipment for off-campus use,” Dr. Welsh said. “It was a nice way to express gratitude to our clinical colleagues who have continuously supported and educated our students and to return the courtesy by offering this advanced training to them.”
The simulation exemplified the core goals of the HRSA MatCare grant: enhancing the clinical education of midwifery students, supporting community-based maternal health care providers, and strengthening partnerships that improve perinatal outcomes. It also reaffirmed the integral role of simulation in preparing providers to deliver safe, competent, and responsive maternity care.
The Nurse Midwifery Program at Fairfield leads to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and qualifies graduates to sit for the Certification Examination of the American Midwifery Certification Board.
The program is ranked #7 nationally by U.S. News and World Report.
