A Simulated Pregnancy with Real Impact

Using High-Tech Simulation to Teach Compassionate Care

At Hawkeye Community College, students are learning about pregnancy in a way that goes far beyond textbooks. This year, healthcare students are following the simulated pregnancy of "Priscilla," a simulated patient who helps them practice real-world skills before they ever step into a clinic or hospital.

The project was created to highlight what students actually do in healthcare programs by telling the story of the various ways our healthcare students interact with patients. By following Priscilla's pregnancy throughout the academic year, students experience how care changes from early checkups to delivery and postpartum recovery. The project also shows that pregnancy care is never handled by just one job, but by many healthcare professionals working together.

At the center of the project is Hawkeye's Van Gerpen Simulation Center, where students work with a high-fidelity maternal manikin known as the Sim Mom. According to Simulation Coordinator Tina Pollock, the experience gives students a safe place to learn.

"Healthcare simulation plays a powerful role…by offering students an immersive, patient-centered learning experience through a simulated pregnancy journey," she said.

The Sim Mom can respond like a real patient. Students monitor vital signs, listen to fetal heart tones, and react to changes during labor. The technology can even recreate high-risk situations, allowing students to practice making quick decisions without putting real patients in danger. Pollock explained that students also focus on communication and empathy, helping them prepare for the emotional side of healthcare.

Students from nearly all of Hawkeye's health programs and natural sciences classes will interact with Priscilla over the course of the pregnancy, including Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, Emergency Medical Services, Medical Laboratory Technology, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy Assisting, and Physical Therapist Assistant. Medical Assisting students use Priscilla throughout their program. Instructor Corrie Sink said the model helps students practice many skills, from patient intake to nutrition counseling.

"These simulations allow students to practice both clinical and administrative skills in a realistic, low-stress environment," she said.

Sink added that one of the biggest benefits is confidence. Simulation gives students a chance to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow. This helps bridge the gap between the classroom and real jobs in clinics and medical offices.

Students say the experience has made learning more meaningful.

"Working with Priscilla has been so fun," said Medical Assisting student Emma Wittrock. "It has taught me a lot about the real world and what my future may look like."

Another Medical Assisting student, Kylee Becker, said the simulation helped her feel prepared.

"Using simulation in the classroom has helped me improve my knowledge and has helped fix my mistakes in a controlled environment," she said. She added that working with Priscilla "transformed my ability to care for obstetric patients."

The project also reaches into the community. A baby shower and donation drive connected to Priscilla's story benefits a local shelter. This reminds students that healthcare is about compassion and teamwork, not just skills.

By combining storytelling, technology, and community service, Hawkeye Community College is showing how modern healthcare education can be engaging, realistic, and deeply human.

Learn more about Hawkeye's Healthcare programs