Medicine for dummies: New Panola College nursing lab includes
high-tech mannequins
Longview News
Journal
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
CARTHAGE — Panola College nursing students Tommy Fountain and Dan Dean intensely hovered over a sand colored mannequin Monday afternoon as more than 50 spectators looked on.
"My name is Tommy and I'm going to be taking care of you today," Tommy said to the mannequin.
"I feel really bad," the mannequin responded. "I think I'm going to throw-up."
The nursing students scrambled, grabbing mock saline and needles full of medicine, intravenous tubes. They reviewed computer monitor to check the mannequin's pulse.
After a little coughing and some gagging from the mannequin, the students accomplished their task.
"I feel much better," the mannequin said to a roar of applause.
As nursing classes increase, space to get clinical experience at area hospitals has become tight, prompting Panola College and the East Texas Medical Center at Carthage to create a nursing simulation lab.
With a few strokes on a keyboard, the lab, comprised of two rooms in the hospital's monitored care unit, will allow students to address a computerized patient's needs.
Panola College Nursing instructor Karen McClellan said students will begin using the labs by June.
She said the simulation labs will not replace clinical work, but provides supplemental learning and preparation before addressing a real patient. McClellan said the lab is an asset to the growing nursing program of more than 150 students.
"It does everything a patient would do," McClellan said. "Everything is computerized; it breathes, it talks ... this is really going to provide real life scenarios for our students."
Panola College's nursing program uses low- to mid-range simulations. It plans to purchase a $60,000 high-fidelity mannequin simulator with grants and donations in time for summer classes.
Gary Hudson, ETMC Carthage administrator, said the partnership is necessary for providing better healthcare in the East Texas area.
"Providing realistic situations will allow nursing students to learn and grow in their knowledge," he said. "It will better prepare them for the demands of providing excellent healthcare in their nursing careers."
Panola College President Gregory Powell said the partnership will keep the nursing program ahead of other institutions.
"The simulator does everything from simulating heart attacks to child birthing," Powell said. "We are so proud to be partnering with ETMC Carthage and look forward to working with them in the future."
Judy Peterson, ETMC Carthage Chief Nursing Officer, said the labs are welcomed addition for the hospital and would allow hospital nurses to sharpen skills.
"ETMC Carthage, like hospitals and other healthcare facilities across Texas, has a continual need for well-qualified nurses," she said to the crowd. "The nursing staff at ETMC Carthage will also receive tremendous benefits from this simulation lab."
Julia Bradley, an ETMC Carthage registered nurse agreed.
"It think it's wonderful," she said after poking her head into the lab to see the mannequin's progress. "It certainly would have given you a little confidence before working on real patients ... I wish I had this when I was in school."
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