Pediatric Phone Triage: A Virtual Clinic Experience

The purpose of this presentation is to describe a simulation entitled, “Mommy Call.” This activity is designed to prepare FNP students for pediatric phone triage and after hours call experienced in primary care settings. Initiated, spring 2010, in the School's Primary Care of Children course, 38 FNP students launched this exercise. A virtual pediatric clinic within the course was developed where seven patients had “established” care. Using these patients, typical calls from caregivers about their children were developed (i.e. diaper rash, swallowing of a penny, immunizations issues). The calls were handled as phone messages taken by the office's Certified Nursing Assistant. Students were assigned a “call week” within the term with responsibility for answering three “Mommy Calls” during that week in the role of the Nurse Practitioner. Students went to the virtual clinic and chose a patient.  At this point a random phone message would be made available to the student along with the patient's chart. Student's had two hours to respond to the message in a precise and easy to understand manner. The patient's chart was made available for review and student's could use reference material normally available at a clinic setting. For purposes of grading, the response was submitted in an essay question format in the School's learning management system. Students cited at least one resource for each of their three Mommy Call answers. Overall responses from the 38 students were positive.  They expressed appreciation for what they perceived to be close to actual clinical experience. One student experienced an actual “Mommy Call” her first day of clinical, solidifying the activity as a valuable addition to the course. Mommy Call has now been fully integrated into the pediatric course with new scenarios developed, charts refined, and other assignments altered making time for more “Mommy Calls.”