When taking care of our tiniest patients, it pays to practice on babies that act just like a newborn, but aren't one. To help Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) teams be better prepared to care for very sick and premature newborns, North Central Baptist Hospital has created a "drill" program that recreates intense, very stressful scenarios - very similar to NASA, Department of Defense and airline emergency scenarios.

Using a state-of-the-art simulation mannequin that can recreate heart beat, breathing sounds and actions, body movement, and color changes along with the ability to accept IV fluids, drill participants are given cues by the mannequin very much like a real baby would give clinical clues as to what is wrong. Hospital NICU doctors, nurse practitioners, RN's and respiratory therapists can practice teamwork under stressful situations. This type of training has been shown to reduce medical and nursing errors. The training lab can travel so that obstetrics and labor and delivery teams are all practicing teamwork and know what to do when babies need help.