Graduate Research Papers

Read the Feed: Evaluating the Role of an Interactive Infant Feeding Simulator on Demonstrated Feeding Skills

Availability

Graduate Research Paper (Electronic Copy Not Available)

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine students’ gains in accuracy of identifying infant stress cues while feeding a high-fidelity infant simulator following either a lecture or a hands-on simulator training.

Method: Students (n = 27) were randomly assigned one of two groups: experimental or control. The experimental group received a one-hour training utilizing the infant simulator ‘Paul’, and the control group received a one-hour lecture with a static baby doll. A 10-minute feeding session took place both pre-training and post-training during which students were asked to identify infant stress cues and vital changes. The percentage accuracy in identifying the infant stress cues were compared between groups at pre-training and post-training.

Results: All participants improved in accuracy of identifying infant stress cues on the infant simulator ‘Paul’ following training. Students in the simulator group (experimental) identified significantly more infant feeding stress cues correctly at post-training (p < .05) compared to the control group.

Conclusions: Implementation of a simulated infant into training sessions on infant feeding techniques and stress cues has a positive effect on learning skills. Using simulations throughout graduate level coursework may help prepare those students who will work with the medically-complex infants in the NICU that need critical and highly trained care.

Year of Submission

2023

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

First Advisor

Laura L. Pitts

Date Original

6-15-2023

Object Description

1 PDF file (28 pages)

Electronic copy is not available through UNI ScholarWorks.

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