Sim Lab

Just wanted to get some opinions on doing a simulation in the lab. I think they can be very useful if used right, but I don't think my instructors are using them right. The last sim lab we had was for OB. There was a group of 4, and we were supposed to be caring for a woman in active labor, transition phase. Awesome, since none of us have gotten to participate in a delivery in clinicals. However, the way our sim labs are run is, we are put in the room, given a scenario and told go! The problem with this is that we have practiced none of these skills beforehand. We have had lecture on them but no practical experience. Scares me to death even though its mannequins. Also bothers me that they sit behind a 2-way mirror and film, watch, and critique us. One of the things they told us would be required is checks to see how dilated the cervix was, I said "No one has shown us how to do that, and we haven't even discussed it in lecture (the final for the class is next week so it's too late now). Thoughts? Opinions?