A Novel Approach to Teaching the Cervical Exam: A Versatile, Low-Cost Simulation for Labor and Delivery Learners

Jamie D Perry; Jill M Maples; Heather N Deisher; Hayley Trimble; Jaclyn V van Nes; Kaitlin Morton; Nikki B Zite

doi:10.7759/cureus.20235

A Novel Approach to Teaching the Cervical Exam: A Versatile, Low-Cost Simulation for Labor and Delivery Learners

Cureus. 2021 Dec 7;13(12):e20235. doi: 10.7759/cureus.20235. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Jamie D Perry¹, Jill M Maples¹, Heather N Deisher², Hayley Trimble³, Jaclyn V van Nes¹, Kaitlin Morton⁴, Nikki B Zite¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, USA.
² Brookwood Women's Health PC, Brookwood Baptist Medical Center, Birmingham, USA.
³ Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pikeville Medical Center, Pikeville, USA.
⁴ Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

Abstract

This technical report describes the making of cervical exam models that can be used to teach cervical dilation and effacement, with the versatility to teach additional obstetrical skills including artificial rupture of membranes (AROM) and fetal scalp electrode (FSE) placement. These models, primarily constructed from materials that are low cost and/or easily accessible within a healthcare setting, can be used to educate nurses, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals to improve the evaluation of the labor progress.

Keywords: artificial rupture of membranes; cervix; effacement and dilation; fetal scalp electrode placement; labor and delivery; obstetrics; simulation; simulation model.