Finding the Possible: Expanding Simulation Beyond the Hospital Walls
Finding the Possible: Expanding Simulation Beyond the Hospital Walls
What if simulation didn’t stop at the hospital doors? In this inspiring session, Melissa Lawlor—Certified Nurse Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner, and EMT—invites healthcare and EMS professionals to rethink how maternal and newborn simulation can extend across hospital, community, and prehospital environments.
Drawing on her unique background in Fire/EMS, midwifery, and family practice, Melissa demonstrates how simulation-based education can strengthen collaboration, communication, and readiness across interprofessional teams, ultimately improving outcomes for mothers and newborns regardless of where care begins.
Attend live to earn 1 CEU credit. This CE activity is accredited for one educator CEH by the National Association of EMS Educators, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education. CE is free for NAEMSE members and $25 for non-members.
What you'll gain
Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, this session explores how simulation can be adapted beyond traditional clinical settings to support safer, more inclusive care.
Participants will gain insights into:
- ✓Extending simulation-based learning into community and prehospital birth environments
- ✓Building psychological safety to enhance team performance and learner confidence
- ✓Applying human-centered design to create realistic and inclusive training experiences
- ✓Strengthening interprofessional collaboration in obstetric and neonatal emergencies
Why attend?
From community birth scenarios to emergency deliveries in the field, this session challenges participants to see opportunity where others see limitations. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to adapt simulation tools across any setting, helping to foster collaborative learning cultures that drive better outcomes for patients and teams.
About the speaker
Melissa Lawlor, CNM, FAP, EMT
Deputy Coordinator, First Responder Health and Wellness
Melissa Lawlor is a nationally recognized leader in Fire/EMS and maternal-child health, serving as Deputy Coordinator for First Responder Health and Wellness in Dutchess County. With over 30 years of volunteer EMS experience, she integrates expertise in midwifery, family practice, and emergency response to deliver innovative, evidence-based education. Her work focuses on obstetrics, newborn and pediatric care, and addressing the unique health and wellness needs of women in fire and EMS.