Implications for school nurses using simulator dolls to manage unplanned teen pregnancy.

Abstract

Background: School nurses are key professionals in the promotion of sexual and reproductive health which should include using high fidelity baby simulator dolls. Aim: To explore teenager’s perceptions of their practical parenting skills and their attitudes towards experiential learning from using high fidelity baby simulators. Methods: Virtual baby simulator dolls were used as part of sex and relationship education with school pupils (aged 15-16 years) to look after over a weekend. Pupils were recruited from a UK Academy and completed a diary of their experiences while parenting, received quantitative feedback simulator reports and completed a post-study evaluation questionnaire. Findings: Pupils saw the virtual baby project as beneficial and important in schools and perceived an improvement in their understanding of practical parenting skills, sexual health and contraception. Conclusion: The implications of this paper are towards involving school nurses more actively in sexual health education in schools via the use of high fidelity simulators as creative pedagogy in Personal Sexual Health Education (PSHCE).