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Neonatology

“The new Resusci-Anne will help save infant lives in emergency situations,” said Foundation President Teri Farr. “We were happy to help provide updated equip-ment to enhance emergency care.”

It’s becoming more common in health care to do simulations with a mannequin several times before

attempting a procedure on a live patient. This simulation is different in that a scene will be set up and nurses and doc-tors must treat it like a real emergency. This practice is most common at uni-versities but is making its way into the hospital setting.

I m p r o v e d a b i l i t i e s , c o n f i d e n c e “Thi s mannequin i s crucial for our program because it is so real,” Jones said. “We fnd it particu-larly important because we have two new neona-tologists working to treat more premature babies here at Kootenai.” Having such a lifelike mannequin allows nurses to practice and learn pro-cedures they may not ever have to do in real life but need to know just in case.

“There’s so much research out there that says adults learn best by doing,” Jones said. “I think that’s why so many disciplines are practicing this way now.”

Jones believes that having a Resusci-Anne that looks and feels like a real baby will help staff feel more conf-dent when working with the real-life counterpart. “This is the way of the future,” she said. “We’re lucky to have it.”

Practice Makes Perfect

A n e w R e s u s c i - A n n e m a n n e q u i n a l l o w s n u r s e s t o p e r f e c t t h e i r c r a f t

By Andrea Kalas-Nagel

Kootenai Health recently adopted a new Resusci-Anne baby, a training mannequin used in teaching neonatal resuscitation classes.

This realistic mannequin allows students, nurses and physicians to practice treating babies up to the age of 28 days who have breathing and heart problems.

“Students can practice ventilating, IV catheters, CPR and administering fuids,” saidKarra Jones, a professional maternal/child development specialist. “This baby is very realistic in the way the lungs move and how it feels. Our last model tore easily and was less lifelike and fexible. This is a big deal so nurses can practice.”

The new version of Resusci-Anne was donated by the Kootenai Health Foundation in May. So far, nurses appreciate being able to learn on such an advanced mannequin.

From left, Robb Hruska, an R.R.T. at Benewah Community Hospital; Robin Hetzler, Kootenai Health R.N.; and Leilani Janski, Kootenai Health R.N.C., practice on the Resusci-Anne mannequin during a neonatal resuscitation class.

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