Hi Carolyn,
Congratulations on achieving the new programme! I know very well what a huge undertaking it all is. Well done to all of you.
 I have sent your email on to Annabel, Andrea and Beryl to give you feedback on the usefullness of the things we have. I have also asked our technicians to send you an inventory with the source and model numbers of the things we have. Our current birthing models with the dolls with the jointed limbs are the best we have ever had. The also make shoulder dystocia and breech birth easy to simulate. You can't go past lots of dolls and pelvis'. The vaginal examination model 'Charlie" (the baby's name, we call it Charlene) has adjustable cervices using head pressure and is quite good, but costly. The case models are not that wonderful. They are very old. The baby Hippys are good and we have used them for years. They are pretty robust too, our first models lasted for over 15 years. You probably need to think about baby resus gear. I don't know about Australia, but the Neopuffs have overtaken baby bag and masks in all of our hospitals. Most selfemployed midwives use one at home also although they tend to carry a bag and bask as  a back up (mainly because they already had them and they are manual so don't need oxygen or compressed air to run). Our neopuffs in the School we run with an electric aquarium motor so we don't have to hold compressed gases on the premises. I will get Andrea & the others to give you their opinion on the various palpation models we have. We have just got some new ones we hope will be an improvement on the others. The best to date that we have tried are the cloth ones, but they only go so far. The new ones can adjust an airbag for liquor volume and the descent can be adjusted to be in or out of the pelvis. They are rubbery plastic so will be more durable than the cloth which stretches.
The suturing models. By far and away the best are the upright triangle shaped models. However they are fearsomely expensive and the perineal inserts are not that robust ( I am sure that manufacuterers have no idea of the wear and tear when hundreds of uses are needed). Replacement inserts are very costly. So we have 3 or 4 of those and have invested in the Staffe & Keele?? models which are ok, but not so realistic. They are just fine for learning to suture and lay knots etc. The more expensive ones are used for the full repair practice when the anatomy matters. We still get students to start on foam blocks and pieces of meat etc. Suture material is an expensive disposable, but they do need the real thing. And they aren't economical in the use of the length either, so it is best they practice knot tying with linen thread until they can do it without using the equicvalent of a whole length of suture material for one stitch. Then you can give them the real stuff. It is best to have the resusci babies with the tongue, you can then practice suction under vision. 
We also have some Nursing Annes in the School. BP, pulse, heart and lung sounds, catheter, IV line, communication (a mike can be set up), drains, wounds, injection sites, postpartum firm and boggy fundus, are the main things she 'does' very useful for basic skill training. We share ours with the Nursing School to manage the cost/effectiveness.
On our wish list is a Laerdal 'Newby' when you have enough money, this is probably a good investment for OSCA type examinations in particular. It is about $NZ35,000.00 so you might need other things first. The nice thing is that it has adjustable heart and lung sounds, can be made centrally cyanosed and can be made limp. it also cries, makes contented noises, grunts like RDS (and indraws). We think it will be good for teaching APGAR scoring, a baby getting sicker  & recovering when the correct things are done, teaching full neonatal examination before the students try on a real baby (need to use a baby hippy in conjunction), hearing flow murmurs and 'wet lungs' and for OSCA assessments of baby wellness/full neonatal examination. However, we have successfully taught students without a Newby so you might want to get other things first.  Kathy Ogilvy at Counties Manukau Diostrict Health Baord will be able to tell if the Newby is worth it as they got one this year. She is at [log in to unmask]   She is the CME there and will be happy to share with you.
The other model that they and we have had less happiness with is the Sophia birthing model. it is from the same firm as the 'Charlie' VE model. While it is sort of ok, at $NZ10,000.00 plus it isn't good value for money. It can't do shoulder dystocia or posterior position and rotation, the other scan. Also, we can buy two other models that are more useful for the same  amount of money.
That's about it from me I will get the others to send their opinions and the inventory on to you.
Warm regards
Jackie

Jackie Gunn
Head of Midwifery
School of Midwifery
AUT University 
Private Bag 92006
Auckland 1020
+64 9 921 9999 ext 7740
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>>> Carolyn Hastie <[log in to unmask]> 04/21/10 10:54 AM >>>
Greetings all,

I would like to draw on the collective wisdom on this list please. 

I'm seeking information and recommendations from those of you who teach midwifery. We have just been given approval for our brand new Bachelor of Midwifery curriculum from our state board. I'm compiling a list of necessary, useful and desirable teaching models for our student midwives to use in our clinical lab. 

Simulation is certainly the 'buzz' word in educational circles. I would love to know what those of you experienced in the educational/research field would recommend, what you are using and what you would like to have in an ideal educational world. 

I am very grateful for any recommendations and comments you can give me. Thank you in anticipation. 

Carolyn