Fanshawe College re-introduces Simulation Laboratory class for Nursing program students. The class was unavailable during COVID, as students had to interact with each other.
This class usually has to follow a procedure and take care of a mannequin – a doll that has symptoms of a real person: it does blood pressure, does vitals, and will talk back to you.
When you’re in clinical practice there is a nurse always with you that takes over. Here it’s all about the student getting the experience of how it will be like when you become nurses,
Kody Ambrose, student of Practical Nursing program
However, since the pandemic restrictions are now lifted the program organizers ask for students who are willing to volunteer in an interaction as mock patients. The Simulation Lab practices with real people take place every Thursday morning.
“It’s a huge opportunity for these students to communicate with people that they may have in their practice later on,” says Tanya Killian, simulation manager at Fanshawe College and emergency room nurse.
The professors understand how important it is for nursing students to interact with people from different backgrounds and with a variety of individual characters.
First year students get one day of Simulation Lab experience, while second year gets two. Before you do clinical studies they learn how to do different assessments, and oxygen therapy.
“Once you get in you get to rotate different roles. One time you are a family member and they are a nurse, the next time you switch,” explains Ambrose.
The class is mandatory because all the students should get the experience of practicing the skills.
“Even though it’s mandatory, it’s not graded. It’s more of a learning opportunity for us. So even if you do poorly, there will be a debriefing,” says the student.
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