Health Simulation Labs

While classroom learning is essential to high-quality nursing and allied health programs, the "experiential learning" component plays the most vital role in developing solid clinical and critical thinking skills. In fact, a minimum of 50 percent of healthcare educational experience is hands-on learning.

Northeast Iowa Community College creates a clinical environment similar to those found in pre-hospital (EMS), hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities through health simulation lab clinical learning scenarios that significantly increase the amount of practice students receive. This enhances the students’ learning as well as engages practitioners in healthcare careers.

The Health Simulation Laboratories at Northeast Iowa Community College can be outfitted to duplicate a pre-hospital (EMS) ambulance, an emergency room, a maternity suite or other clinical settings. The centerpiece of learning in these scenarios is a patient simulator. These sophisticated computerdriven manikins replicate human physiology, clinical symptoms and responses with remarkable realism. The Ambulance Simulator provides EMS students and professionals the ability to practice and master tasks, procedures and policies in an environment that represents the reality of the ambulance workspace.

Critical to the learning experience is the digital video recording of each simulation exercise and the performance evaluation software. Using these tools during the debriefing process faculty can review, evaluate, track and instruct students in the techniques of clinical care.

Download the Health Simulation Lab Flyer for information on funding and training package options. For information on custom training options, download the Health Simulation Lab Custom Training Flyer.

Benefits

  • A safe, controlled environment for students to practice and refine their clinical skills and critical-thinking abilities before working with patients.
  • Improved patient safety by creating additional clinical practice opportunities to reduce medical errors and increase patient safety.
  • Students and practitioners from various disciplines can practice collaboration in realistic healthcare scenarios.
  • Using sophisticated digital recording and performance assessment software instructors can record student exercises, review, evaluate and report on their clinical and critical thinking skills in a debrief session.
  • Partnerships with area healthcare facilities allow for further exploration and expansion of learning opportunities.
  • Opportunities for continuing education through the use of simulation are possible for community healthcare providers.

Scenarios

Pre-programmed scenarios are approved by the National League of Nursing (NLN) and American Heart Association (AHA). More scenarios are available upon request.

Cardiac

  • ST-elevation infarction followed by ventricular fibrillation
  • Ventricular fibrillation
  • Acute myocardia infarction
  • Angina - coronary artery disease
  • Bradycardia treated with Atropine, Pacing, Dopamine or Epinephrine

Respiratory

  • Foreign body airway obstruction
  • Spontaneous pneumothorax
  • Impaired airway protection due to severe ischemic stroke
  • Acute asthma
  • Respiratory arrest
  • Obstruction secondary to seizures

Trauma

  • Stab wound to abdomen
  • Cervical spine injury
  • Spontaneous tension pneumothorax

We also have an OB simulator that can simulate a normal delivery as well as obstetrical emergencies. Our sim baby and pediatric simulator can also be used for training for routine or difficult situations.