Taking Simple Simulation Back to Maternity Teams - The Obstetric Critical Care Symposium

SimSimple products were recently used at the Obstetric Critical Care Symposium in Brisbane—an inspiring conference that brought together providers from across maternity and critical care.

The symposium created an important space for midwives, obstetricians, anaesthetists, critical care clinicians, nurses and other providers to consider how we can support the best possible outcomes for women and babies in the most challenging circumstances. 

As part of the program, some participants attended a practical workshop exploring how VEMS could be used with their own teams. Rather than teaching the clinical management of a particular emergency, the session introduced participants to the simulation modality itself: what it feels like to participate in, how it can be facilitated and how it might be adapted to different maternity settings.

Using SimSimple products, participants experienced how an engaging clinical scenario can be created without a simulation centre, expensive technology or extensive setup. They considered how the approach could support everything from a facilitated case discussion to a more immersive team experience—and how small adjustments in facilitation can help achieve different learning goals.

The group also explored how this form of simulation could be taken back to their own workplaces. Because the equipment is portable and quick to set up, sessions can be incorporated into existing education programs, team meetings or short periods of protected learning time. Scenarios can be adapted to local environments, protocols, resources and team structures.

This accessibility creates opportunities for simulation to happen more frequently. Instead of being limited to occasional large-scale simulation days, teams can regularly explore how they might respond to rare or complex events. They can practise communicating, clarify roles, develop shared mental models and identify system issues before an emergency occurs.

The goal of the workshop was not simply to deliver one simulation experience. It was to build participants’ confidence and capability to create many more experiences for the teams they work with.

We were proud to see SimSimple products supporting this facilitator development at the Critical Care Obstetrics Symposium. Most excitingly, participants left with a practical and adaptable approach they could take home—helping simulation become a regular part of how maternity teams prepare together for emergencies before they happen.

You can get your own SimSimple gear to support maternity teams here.