TAMPA, FLA.- — The CHARLIE doll is helping nurses provide better care to babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Nurses use the doll to practice life-saving techniques.
CHARLIE stands for: Cardiac compression, Heat compatibility, Arterial access, Resuscitation, Laryngeal mask, Intubation.
The rubber training doll is about 8 pounds. Nurses may practice intubation or inserting a chest tube. They may also change the doll's heart rhythm to practice different scenarios.
"CHARLIE allows us to practice those scenarios so when we get those babies that come in the nurses have that confidence to be able to get the best care to the babies," said Daneen Breitenbach, Clinical Education Specialist for the neonatal intensive care unit at AdventHealth.
Before the training doll, nurses would learn from real cases. Breitenback said nurses frequently see babies in respiratory distress in the NICU because lungs are among the last organs to fully develop.
"When you have a small baby their lungs just aren’t developed enough to do what they need to do so that’s why they get ventilated or other means to help them," she said.
The AdventHealth West Florida Division Foundation team provided the CHARLIE doll.
“It has created such a great learning opportunity. They have thoroughly embraced it because we do get to practice in a really safe environment. You get feedback. It’s always a positive,” added Breitenbach.
