Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington is about to embark on a new journey as the largest renovation in the history of the hospital will officially begin next week. The groundbreaking ceremony for the hospital’s $247 million expansion and modernization project is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 2nd. When the work is complete, the hospital will include all private rooms, expanded intensive care and operating rooms, new state-of-the-art technologies, green features and more.
With so much happening at Good Shepherd, we asked the hospital’s Public Affairs & Marketing Manager, Erin Abbey, to help keep us posted here at 365Barrington.com about the latest hospital news, accomplishments and events. Today, she takes us to the baby shower they recently hosted to celebrate the hospital’s brand new and extremely life-like birthing manikin that will help doctors and nurses prepare to handle any complications that might arise during childbirth.
Good Shepherd Hospital Throws a Baby Shower for Life-Like Manikin Noelle
by Erin Abbey, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Public Affairs & Marketing Manager
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital recently threw a baby shower for “new mom”, Noelle, who gave birth to a healthy set of twins named Maggie and Simon. However, this wasn’t your average baby shower. It was a celebration for associates to meet the new high fidelity birthing manikin. Noelle looks and sounds very real but she’s a teaching simulator for the nurses and doctors at Good Shepherd.
Noelle blinks, breathes, sweats, talks and can simulate issues that might arise during childbirth, allowing the healthcare providers to practice realistic trauma scenarios on these mechanical bodies.
The software allows the educator to download an experience, such as an emergency C-section, hemorrhage, or other complications which might arise.
“Using high technology manikins like this allows the nurses and physicians to hone our skills as an integrated team so we can provide the best outcomes to our patients,” said David Crandall MD an obstetrician gynecologist at Good Shepherd Hospital.
Dr. Crandall was a strong advocate in allocating the funds to purchase Noelle and in building the simulation lab to its present state.
Noelle joins three other manikins in the simulation lab at Good Shepherd.
The simulation lab is a training environment for physicians and nurses to work together in a collaborative environment. After the hospital’s campus modernization project, the simulation lab will be renovated and made larger with a more established presence in the hospital.
Noelle’s babies are also used in learning scenarios. The babies can be programmed to breathe, have varying heart rates and cry which provides the nurses an opportunity to assess the baby.
“This is really exciting for us,” said Mariann Hisel, MSN, MBA, RNC, LCCE an OB clinical nurse educator at Good Shepherd. “For us to be able to train with our own physicians in these realistic situations is truly a wonderful learning experience and opportunity for even closer collaboration in providing safe quality patient care.”
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About the Author
Erin Abbey is the public affairs and marketing manager at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.
She works on getting the word out about all the wonderful news and accomplishments at the hospital as well as community events and activities.
Erin recently relocated from Chicago to Palatine where she lives with her husband, two young daughters and her dog Kallie.
She enjoys exploring new restaurants, practicing yoga and pilates, reading as much as possible and attempting to keep up with all the news on social media.
