Page 7 - Nac & SFA February 2015

FLYING OUR FLAG

Another benef t to the SON is the Ed and Gwen Cole Miles of cable line the ceilings allowing the simu-
Simulation Laboratory, which is a Laerdal Center of lations to be controlled by instructors in a control
Excellence and one of three in the state. room across the hall, Smith explained. Each room
is equipped with three cameras and a microphone,
A nurses’ station greets students as they walk into which gives instructors the ability to see every angle
the Ed and Gwen Cole Simulation Laboratory. This of the room and even hear a whisper. The rooms also
10-bed medical surgical area is set up like a real have touch-screen computers like a real ICU.
hospital. In fact, David Smith, instructor and simula-
tion lab coordinator, said in case of a natural disaster “Students can practice real life situations and not
the lab can be f ipped into a triage area to assist in worry about detrimental outcomes,” Smith said of the
disasters within an hour. SIM lab. “It’s ok for students to make mistakes here.”
“We are one of a few schools that have labs like The lab also has 18 Vital Sims Manikins that are
this,” Smith said. “We are trying to push for more controlled by SIM pads. Instructors can control the
community involvement.” manikin’s respiration, speech and heart rate, but the
manikins cannot open their eyes or bleed like the
Each room has high-tech manikins each with different others.
abilities. The lab has f ve 3G manikins with four com-
puters inside them. The lab also has a labor and delivery area, a nursery
and neonatal area, a health assessment lab and an
“They do everything…any sound a human can make, emergency room area. The labor and delivery area is
these can too,” Smith said. These manikins can bleed, home to SIM mom and SIM newbie. Smith proudly
blink, sweat and more. They just can’t walk or stand. explained how SIM mom can actually give birth.
RIFD readers are placed in the manikins’ arms, which Being a labor and delivery nurse, Bishop mirrored
read medicine tags allowing instructors to know if Smith’s pride in relation to SIM mom.
students are giving the patients the right medicine “The students do simulations in almost every course.
and dosage. Students can also insert IVs on the It lets them practice on manikins but we treat the
manikins. Another room houses IV arms and six vir- manikins like they are real patients,” Bishop said. “We
tual IVs where nurses can practice administering IVs. love our simulation lab.”

Rebecca Self
SIM Lab Assistant

FL Y THE FL AG, TE X A S OCTOBER 2013 7 7
FEBRUARY 2015 FEATURE