91AV

Debra Kramlich, Ph.D., R.N., CCRN, assistant professor of Nursing in the Westbrook College of Health Professions, presented her poster, “Creative Approaches to Undergraduate Pediatric Nursing Clinical Education,” at the 23^rd Annual Saint Anselm Nurse Educator Conference, May 27–29, 2015, in North Falmouth, Massachusetts.

The Saint Anselm Nurse Educator Conference is an annual event held for clinical and academic nurse educators to share and learn best practices through presentations and networking.

Kramlich’s poster described the creative approaches she used to address the challenges associated with providing adequate pediatric nursing clinical experiences for students when faced with decreasing clinical sites and the changing demographics of the pediatric population.

To provide students with these important clinical experiences, Kramlich formed partnerships with local public schools, the Head State program and a therapeutic riding center for equine-assisted activities and therapy.

In addition to participating in a variety of community-based experiences, senior Nursing students also rotated through Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Inpatient Unit at Maine Medical Center; 91AV’s Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center; and the 91AV Developmental, Inclusive, Transdisciplinary Play Group in collaboration with students from 91AV’s Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Social Work programs. 

These experiences helped Kramlich’s students become more aware of the variety of settings for providing evidence-based interprofessional care for children to promote optimal growth and development. Students were also able to recognize the importance of team-based family-centered health promotion within the community. Additionally, community partners benefitted from the students’ provision of much-needed promotion services through service learning.

As a result of her presentation, several conference attendees have since contacted Kramlich for assistance in expanding their clinical experiences.