Red call ☎️ “Pre alert – 15 minutes. 21-day-old baby with bronchiolitis”

Distraught father: “He’s not been feeding. It was just a cold. The GP said it was bronchiolitis. Why are his lips blue?” Observations: (A) HR 160 bpm; (B) RR 60 bpm; (C) BP 80/60 mmHg; (D) Sats 86% in air; (E) Temp 37.9°C

Why Did We Sim?

Emergency departments across the country and bracing themselves for the “bronchy” season. Soon enough a cacophony of coughs and colds will fill the corridors. Babies of all shapes and sizes will flood in with accompanying worried parents.

Many with mild bronchiolitis can be safely discharged home. Some may need admission due to severe respiratory distress or poor fluid intake. And rarely, things may not always be as they appear.

For this simulation, our planned learning outcomes were…

Knowledge: management and differential diagnosis for bronchiolitis.

Skill: setting up a Vapotherm circuit for a 1-month-old baby within 15 minutes.

Attitude: to remain vigilant when managing babies with suspected bronchiolitis.