Each year we host a series of free webinars to help instructors (both new and experienced) have what they need for successful RealCare Baby deployment for the next school year. This year we’re celebrating RealCare Baby®’s 25th birthday, which means that the RealCare Baby deployment tips we’re sharing below have been fine-tuned using two decades’ worth of RealCare Baby experiences.
Teaching in a remote learning environment this fall? Look for tips throughout the blog to make your RealCare Baby deployment as seamless as if in-classroom teaching.
Step 1: Give your Babies a full charge
Ideally, RealCare Baby should be charged for a few hours every 3 months. If you haven’t used Baby in a few months, we recommend plugging them in as soon as you can and leaving them plugged in for the 4-6 hours they require for a full charge. Regularly recharging Baby will also refresh the Babies.
Before a simulation, let them charge overnight.
Download our RealCare Baby battery maintenance tips here.
Step 2: Ensure your RealCare Baby® Control Center Software is up to date
Taking a moment to update your RealCare Baby Control Center Software at the beginning of each semester or year will ensure you’ve got access to the latest tutorials. Plus, it will help ensure improved communication between your computer and Baby.
Update your software online here.
Step 3: Practice makes perfect
By giving your students a chance to practice caring for Baby before the deployment, they’ll be better prepared to provide appropriate care during the simulation (and won’t get stuck not knowing what to do). During the week leading up to the first simulation weekend, we recommend you spend class time either in-person or remote:
- Watching our RealCare Baby Student Video to give students an overview of Baby and answer many common questions (share the video link with students to review on their own as well)
- Consider practicing with RealCare Baby on demo mode so they get in-class practice feeding, burping, rocking and changing
Step 4: Get organized
Organization is the name of the game. Whether you’re using plastic bins, your RealCare Baby shipping box or our own storage solutions, keeping Baby and its accessories together will not only help you facilitate your program, but will keep your items safe, clean and dry. We suggest labeling each Baby and its accessories in some way.
Stay organized during a simulation by using an inventory checklist. Check each item off the list as you give it to your student, then use the same list to collect each piece as the student returns it. If you are in a remote learning environment, consider giving the student the Baby and all of the supplies in your storage unit – the baby box or plastic bin. Have the inventory sheet in the box for them to reference on return.
Step 5: Use our RealCare Baby Guide App
Giving your students access to our RealCare Baby Guide app during a simulation means giving them immediate access to videos and FAQs 24/7. We designed this app specifically for students participating in a RealCare Baby simulation experience. It features how-to videos, real-time simulation feedback, notetaking capabilities, and more. By making this free tool available to simulation participants, you might just save yourself from a late-night phone call
Access our RealCare Baby Guide App here.
Step 6: Clean and prepare Baby for the next simulation
In a post-COVID 19 environment, cleaning your Babies and supplies is more important than ever. You can keep your Babies looking like new with these best practices.
To disinfect Baby, remove and wash all clothing. Then, use rubbing alcohol or disinfectant wipes containing an alcohol concentration of 60% or greater. This is an antimicrobial solution which kills 99.99% of germs within 10-30 seconds. Gently wipe down Baby and accessories, and accessories and let them air dry for 30 minutes. (We do not recommend using bleach to disinfect).
You can get detailed instructions for washing Baby’s clothing and removing ink and dirt from Baby’s skin by downloading our RealCare Baby cleaning and disinfecting Steps. Get them here.
Step 7: Wrap up with reflection
By giving your students the opportunity to reflect on their RealCare Baby experience, you’re helping them make connections and ensure they’ve learned important skills and concepts. Written journals and video journals are both popular RealCare Baby reflection ideas. In-class discussions and even oral presentations are other ways you can incorporate reflection into your program (and practice soft skills).
Other resources for RealCare Baby deployment tips:
Looking for more RealCare Baby resources? Check out our…
- RealCare Baby Support Page
- On-demand instructional webinars (we love “The Logistics of Launching a RealCare Baby Program: Secrets from Successful Users,” linked below)
- Find resources for updating or refreshing your RealCare Baby program
- Learn how to start a new RealCare Baby program
