July 8, 2025The Northern Centre for Health Education and Research (NCHER) Partnership, comprising of Northern Health, La Trobe University, and the University of Melbourne, is proud to welcome the newest addition to its Simulation Centre – SimNewB – an advanced neonatal manikin designed to elevate clinical training and education.
Acquired through joint funding by all three partners, SimNewB represents a significant enhancement to neonatal simulation training. With lifelike skin texture and appearance, the ability to speak and cry, and an integrated projector trainer voice system, SimNewB allows facilitators to deliver highly realistic and interactive training sessions. The manikin responds to pre-programmed voice commands, enabling educators to create immersive, scenario-based learning environments that closely mimic real-world neonatal care.
SimNewB will play a key role in simulation activities across the NCHER Partnership, offering multidisciplinary teams the opportunity to practise newborn care and emergency responses in a safe, controlled setting. This hands-on experience is invaluable for building confidence, improving coordination, and enhancing clinical skills.
The NCHER Simulation Centre is excited to integrate SimNewB into its programs, further strengthening NCHER’s commitment to excellence in education, collaboration, and the delivery of safe, high-quality care for our youngest patients.
Staff who have participated in recent SimNewB workshop have shared their positive experiences:
“SimNewB provides nursing and medical staff the opportunity to experience and learn in a realistic and safe environment, to recognise and respond to common scenarios that impact our paediatric patients. Through simulation, we can equip one another to respond effectively in stressful and unexpected situations, ensuring high-quality care for our patients.” — Dr Rami Subhi, Paediatrician, Paediatric Ward and Paeds ED.
“The SimNewB workshop was a great session. It will help us improve the simulations we design and run in the neonatal space, making them more effective and impactful.” — Barsha Shrestha, Neonatal Nurse Educator.
“Thank you, Kayleen and Elise, from Laerdal, for a very useful and productive information session on the new model of SimNewB. It’s an extremely realistic educational tool. The session provided helpful insights into how we can use the model in various simulation-based education activities. I now feel more confident using this model to run regular interdisciplinary neonatal simulation education.” — Dr Wei Ling Lean, Lecturer, University of Melbourne, Neonatal and General Paediatrician, Northern Health.
“The SimNewB training provided an impressive demonstration of the capabilities of the Sim Newborn baby. The training highlighted the potential scope and possible applications for use of the SimNewB in the teaching and training of Paediatric Allied Health staff.” — Christina Lambros, Physiotherapist, Paediatrics.
“The SimNewB is an invaluable resource for our La Trobe nursing students. It helps to bring theory to life and build confidence through hands-on, realistic neonatal care simulations.” —Loren Tong, Lecturer of Nursing, La Trobe University.
These reflections highlight the growing enthusiasm for simulation-based education and the confidence it brings to clinical teams across Northern Health, La Trobe University and University of Melbourne.
The new SimNewB is available for simulation and training sessions Monday to Friday across all four campuses of Northern Health. To book a session, please email: simulation@nh.org.au
Pictured (L-R): Barsha Shrestha, Rami Subhi, Charan Baweja, Kayleen Kral, Wei Ling Lean, Loren Tong, Christina Lambros and Jan Thomas with the new SimNewB neonatal manikin.
