Abstract:

Paediatric patients can cause fear and anxiety for radiographers in the imaging department (Harvey-Lloyd, 2013). Many radiographers work in hospitals that are predominantly adult environments and have limited experience and training related to working with children (Mathers et al 2011). Historically, radiography degree curriculum focuses on the adult patient and contain limited content and clinical placement opportunities related to paediatric radiography. Student radiographers have cited paediatric radiography as an area that is a ‘challenge’; makes them ‘nervous’ and ‘apprehensive’; worried about ‘compliance’ (Ellwood and Crohn 2014).

The use of simulation to enhance learning has been introduced in a number of health care professions (Darcy Mahoney et al, 2013). This provides an opportunity for a learner-centred educational experience rather than a patient-centred experience in which the student is attempting to developing an insight and understanding into caring for a patient in a safe learning environment (McDougall, 2015). The use of simulation has been introduced into nursing to help address the limited opportunities that nursing students have in the paediatric setting because of limitations in time and paediatric placements (Bultas, 2011).

A ‘Ready-or-Not Tot ®’ male baby manikin was purchased to use as a learning resource to enhance students understanding and appreciation of how to deal with babies and respond to their needs. The ‘Ready-or-Not Tot ®’ manikin is a programmable interactive manikin that simulates the normal needs of a baby and will cry at timed intervals.

The manikin was introduced to the students who had enrolled onto the 'Paediatric Radiography' module. The manikin was programmed so that he would start crying during the lecture. This prompted a mixture of reactions from the students including surprise, fear and anxiety. Students were encouraged to reflect on their responses and discuss coping strategies for when they encountered crying and distressed babies in the imaging department.

Students were offered the opportunity to be responsible for the baby manikin for a 24-hour period to gain an insight into a parent’s perspective. Two male students and two female students volunteered to ‘adopt’ the manikin. They set their own learning aims and objectives and agreed to provide a verbal report to their peers to share their insights and experiences. Their experiences helped to enhance their appreciation for parents who may be anxious and worried about their child.

Feedback regarding the effectiveness of the inclusion of the ‘Ready-or-Not Tot ®’ baby manikin to aid student learning was incorporated into the module feedback and evaluation on completion of the module. All students indicated that the manikin helped them to understand the needs of a baby and would be able to cope with a crying and distressed baby more confidently. The students who volunteered to be 'parents' commented that the experience provided them a much better understanding and appreciation of the demands of being a parent and how this would help them to provide more effective family centred care in their future practice.

Keywords:

Simulated Learning, Radiography Education, Paediatric Radiography.