Programmable unit gives future
nurses practice at ASU
By Kimberly Hosey
East Valley Tribune
It can suffer allergic reaction and wounds, receive CPR, change from a man to a woman, and die.
SimMan – a patient simulator that can be programmed to vomit, complain about pain, gasp and react like a real patient – has joined the faculties of the College of Nursing at each of Arizona State University’s three campuses.
The unit costs about $30,000. It will be the first patient for most of the 260 nursing students accepted into ASU’s undergraduate nursing program each year.
Produced by Laerdal, a Norwegian company, SimMan allows students to practice skills and instructors to re-create scenarios and ailments.
Using a computer, professors can track and change responses as students work with SimMan.
Among his features, SimMan has a realistic airway for intubation training, a pulse, readable blood pressure, an IV training arm with replaceable skin and veins and interchangeable male and female genitals to allow students to practice inserting catheters.
The scenario at ASU's Polytechnic campus on Thursday was of a 72-year-old dehydrated woman, whose blood pressure was dropping - Medications weren’t working. “You can see them freeze up, which everyone does, but now they can do it and it’s OK. They’ll know what to do by the time they’re with a real patient,” said Susan Bumm, clinical lab coordinator, at ASU's Polytechnic campus.
Student Jessica Turley said she appreciates working on something so real. “This is really cool. I can really learn and make the mistakes now,” she said.
Several local institutions, including ASU, Mesa Community College and the Phoenix Fire Department, are using patient simulators for their medical training.
Beatrice Kastenbaum is a nursing professor who helped introduce SimMan to
ASU. “They can make mistakes without injuring a person,” Kastenbaum
said. “They can ask questions without causing anxiety for the patient.
They can do something over just to be sure they understand it.”
