All hands on Edward: Integrating a skills laboratory within a pediatric emergency department

34^th International Nurse Education & Nurse Specialist Conference

November 08-09, 2017 | New Orleans, USA

Daniela Ricci and Diana Gomez

Nicklaus Children�s Hospital, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

All hands on Edward! Edward is a life size patient care mannequin who resides within the emergency department at Nicklaus children�s hospital. An empty storage closet was discovered and transformed into the first ever ED Clinical Skills Laboratory. For over two years, Edward continues to serve as a means for continuing education skills competencies, training, and interprofessional mock scenarios including EMTs, LPN�s and RN�s. The need for unlimited access to an interactive educational environment that allows all ED staff to engage in clinical skills practice was developed based on the unique needs of Pediatric Emergency Nursing. In this clinical skills lab, staff is able to review various pediatric nursing concepts as well as gain confidence in areas such as airway management, central line access, chest tube management, blood product administration, among many other skills. Since Edward�s introduction to the Emergency Department, an infant sized patient care mannequin has been added. This addition has strengthened core PALS concepts and algorithms. Practice supplies include unused expired equipment found by nursing staff which is then labeled as education and placed in the skills room for staff to utilize. The skills room is useful to varying levels of experience, especially new nursing graduates. Staff feedback remains positive and has received institution wide acclamation inspiring other departments to explore the idea. Staff from other departments, as well as nursing students from various universities, frequently request access and find the experience to enhance their learning.

Biography :

Both Diana and Daniela completed their Bachelors in Nursing at the University of Miami and continued their studies to obtain their MSN from Florida International University. They have become Board Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and with over 10 years of experience in Pediatric Nursing, they continue to devote their passion as Clinical Specialists in the Emergency Department at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.