Many women and newborns among Florida’s 23.6 million residents have limited access to direct medical and obstetrical care, especially those living in rural communities. As the number of hospitals with maternity units continues to decline, local emergency departments and EMS teams are increasingly the first point of contact for pregnant patients experiencing complications. This program was developed to meet that reality head-on, bringing expert faculty, high-fidelity simulation equipment, and hands-on clinical training directly to the nursing and EMS teams serving rural counties across Florida, at no cost.

Obstetrical Transitions of Care is a no-cost, statewide simulation training initiative that goes where the need is greatest. Developed by the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning (CAMLS) in collaboration with the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC) and the Florida Center for Emergency Medical Services (FL-CEMS), with support from the Florida Department of Health, this program sends expert faculty and high-fidelity simulation equipment directly to rural facilities, so nursing and EMS teams can train in the environments where they actually work. The initiative also incorporates Florida’s Telehealth Maternity Care Program, ensuring that providers are equipped not only to respond to obstetric emergencies, but to connect patients with ongoing prenatal and postpartum care available at no cost.