Trinity Western University

TWU Nursing alumna Taryne Lepp is featured in this Samaritan's Purse video, featuring the work they're doing in Haiti during the cholera situation.

TWU School of Nursing Lab Supervisor and Clinical Placement Coordinator Monica Wutzke talks about the benefit of bring The SIM Family to TWU permanently. Find out more at her champion page.

TWU Assistant Professor of Nursing Faith Richardson talks to us about the benefits of SIM dolls for TWU nursing students. Find out more at her champion page.

On April 1, 2010, first year TWU nursing students helped host the TWU Wellness Fair. While there, students interacted with the SIM Family - three special simulation mannequins the School of Nursing is hoping to add to its clinical nursing laboratory. After testing their nursing skills on the dolls, the students gave us their reactions. Watch the video to hear what they had to say.

The TWU Wellness Fair hosted by First Year TWU Nursing Students and the TWU Wellness Centre was held this year in the TWU Atrium on Thursday, April 1, 2010. The First Year nursing students had the opportunity to interact with members of the TWU Community through four different stations: Heart Health, Lung Health, Wellness and Stress. However, the students also had one extra station this year, where they were able to interact with future members of the TWU – School of Nursing. The Sim Family attended as special guests this year with Mom - 'Nursing Anne', 'Nursing Kid', and 'Nursing Baby' TM – Laerdal.

Faith Richardson, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Course Leader for the First Year Nursing students hosting the Wellness Fair stated, "I was thrilled to see how this generation of nursing students so easily picked up the 'techie' know-how to operate the SIMs. They immediately launched into learning from the SIMs, trialing out the various ill health effects to assess." Richardson teaches the first year nursing students Health Assessment and the combination of their real experiences during their assessments of the participating TWU community members along with their first introduction to the SIM‘s was a highlight for this year‘s Wellness Fair.

"It is amazing how quickly the students learn and in turn teach their peers how to manage the Sim Mannequins," stated Trevor Hunter, Sales Representative/District Manager for Laerdal Canada, manufacturer and distributor of the 'Nursing Anne', 'Nursing Kid',and 'Nursing Baby'. Hunter 'accompanied‘ the Sim Family at the TWU Wellness Fair and within minutes of having 'Nursing Anne' ready for visitors; he was giving the students an overview of the simulation features available through the use of the remote control. These features include heart sounds, blood pressure, pulse, lung sounds, bowel sounds and several 'canned‘ sounds such as coughing, moaning, and a few other 'not so pleasant sounds.‘ He also introduced the wireless microphone available for students to play the role of the patient – 'Nursing Anne'.

Throughout the morning and afternoon, students were taking turns assessing, 'reprogramming‘ and playing the role of patient. "Most nursing schools within British Columbia have some form of simulation mannequin avail-able within their programs for student learning," stated Hunter, "We will be working hard with TWU – School of Nursing to provide a valu-able and vital learning tool."

"Mom, come and listen to this lung sound," stated a student as she introduced her mom to Nursing Anne, "This is an example of crackles!" Another student introduced her boyfriend to Nursing Anne and within minutes she was showing him how to take her blood pressure and then the student had her boyfriend take Nursing Anne‘s blood pressure himself. "This type of mannequin is an essential need for our education," stated another first year nursing student, "And they are also very awe-some!"

"Simulation provides an opportunity for students to be better prepared and more confident with their knowl-edge and skills," stated Michele Regehr, TWU Campus Nurse and co-host of the Wellness Fair from the Wellness Centre, "And when students are prepared this way, they are better prepared for their clinical practice settings." Regehr participates with first year nursing students in the Wellness Fair each year as well as works with fourth year nursing students during their capstone Community experience with a final project – The TWU Flu Clinic, also held for the TWU Community.

During the Wellness Fair, a Sim Man Piggy Bank, wonderfully created and donated by Vincent Richardson (Faith Richardson‘s husband), was available for those who wished to drop in their change. At the end of the event, twoonies, loonies, quarters, dimes, nickels and lots and lots of pennies were counted for a total donation of just over $30.00. All donations were greatly appreciated and the amount has been added to the donations received to date on the Sim Family Project page.

Many family members and friends also attended the Wellness Fair and their participation was greatly appreciated throughout the four health stations as well as their interest and interaction with the Sim Family Project. We value the support of the TWU community and the family and friends of each of our students.

To all, Thank You!

Written by Monica Wutzke
Originally posted at TWU Scholarship Update

Honored guests to attend TWU Wellness Fair: Meet the SIM Family!

TWU School of Nursing is pleased to announce that the SIM Family will be attending the annual Health and Wellness Fair, April 1st, 9 am to 2 pm. Come out and meet the SIMs! Nursing students will be demonstrating the use of these simulation mannequins in nursing education. You will have an opportunity to contribute to the SIM Family ‘relocation’ fund and become an Honorary SIM Family Member! Bring your loonies and toonies and drop them into the SIM Piggy Bank!

The Sim family has three members - an adult, a kid and a baby. In the same way that trained nurses work with patients of all ages, so to do nursing students need Sim family members representating different age groups. Below you'll find information about the baby in the Sim family - Nursing Baby:

Nursing Baby
The clinical skills training manikin for in-hospital infant professionals

Nursing Baby is an infant manikin designed for scenario-based training of the care and management of a variety of infant in-hospital patients. Training includes sounds auscultation, IV and IO skills, fontanelle assessment, urinary catheterization and general pediatric patient care. This infant is unrivaled for clinical training in core pediatric in-hospital clinical skills.

Product benefits:

· Educationally effective for training of in-hospital infant skills

· Pre-programmed scenarios provide standardized training while customizable scenarios and real time instructor control allows adaptation to meet individual students needs

· Effective education in the special care of infant patients

· Economical and educationally efficient skills and scenario based trainer for care and management of a variety of common and uncommon in-hospital infant patients in multiple clinical settings and hospital transport

· Durable, rugged and lifelike; made to withstand years of use

Product features:

· Normal, bulging and depressed fontanelles for assessment and diagnosis

· Head with anatomical landmarks, trachea and esophagus along with simulated lungs and stomach allow the practice of many procedures, including NG, OG, tracheal care and suctioning

· Bilateral deltoid and bilateral thigh intramuscular injections are possible

· Articulating IV arm and IV leg allows for practice of IV cannulation, medication administration, site care and maintenance

· Medication and fluid administration through intraosseous infusion allowed via tibia access with landmarks at the tibial tuberosity and medial malleolus

· Gastrostomy tube opening for care and feeding

· Presents normal and abnormal heart, breath, and bowel sounds for auscultation

· Interchangeable genitalia allows for urinary catheterization with fluid return, rectal temperature simulation, and administration of suppositories

· Pre-programmed scenarios aid educators in standardizing teaching
 

The Sim family has three members - an adult, a kid and a baby. In the same way that trained nurses work with patients of all ages, so to do nursing students need Sim family members representating different age groups. Below you'll find information about the kid in the Sim family - Nursing Kid:

Nursing Kid
The clinical skills training manikin for in-hospital pediatric professionals

Nursing Kid is a training manikin realistically representing a six-year old child. He is designed for skill and scenario based training of the care and management of a variety of pediatric in-hospital patients. Training includes sound auscultation, IV cannulation, urinary catherization, and general pediatric patient care. This child is ideal for clinical training in core pediatric in-hospital clinical skills.

Product benefits:

•Delivers education efficiently, targeting key skills specific to pediatric care providers

•Programmable scenarios provide standardized training while customizable scenarios and real time instructor control allows training to be adapted to meet student needs

•Durable, rugged and lifelike; made to withstand years of use

•Highly mobile for use in multiple clinical settings and hospital transport

•Efficient training care and management of a variety of both common and uncommon in-hospital pediatric patients including wound assessment and care, first aid, and child abuse training

Product features:

•Head with anatomical landmarks, trachea, and esophagus along with simulated lungs and stomach allow the practice of many procedures, including NG, OG, tracheal care and suctioning, and insertion, securing and care of endotracheal tubes

•Allows for the ausculation and diagnosis of normal and abnormal hear, breath and bowel sounds

•Bilateral deltoid, bilateral thigh, gluteal intramuscular injections possible

•Articulating IV arm allows for practice of IV cannulation, medication administration and site care and maintenance

•Presents normal and abnormal heart, breath and bowel sounds for ausculation

•Pre-programmed and instructor-controlled scenarios aid in standardizing teaching

The Sim family has three members - an adult, a kid and a baby. In the same way that trained nurses work with patients of all ages, so to do nursing students need Sim family members representating different age groups. Below you'll find information about the adult in the Sim family - Nursing Anne:

Nursing Anne
The manikin for the development of clinical skills of hospital professionals

Nursing Anne is a manikin designed for scenario-based training for the care and management of a wide variety of in-hospital patients. Nursing Anne is an efficient, effective, flexible manikin for clinical training in women’s health, obstetrics, post-partum, wound assessment and care, and general patient assessment and care.

Product benefits:

•Educationally effective for in-hospital training targeting key skills for in-hospital care including women’s health, obstetrics, post-partum care, wound assessment and care, and general patient care

•Pre-programmed scenarios provide standardized training while customizable scenarios and real time instructor control allows adaptation to meet individual students needs

•Economical and educationally efficient skills and scenario based trainer

•Durable, rugged and lifelike; made to withstand years of use

•Flexible manikin platform allows multiple accessory modules to be added including trauma, Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) Module, and bleeding control for use in multiple clinical settings

Product features:

•Head with anatomical landmarks, trachea and esophagus, along with simulated lungs and stomach allow the practice of many procedures, including NG, OG, tracheal care and suctioning

•Normal and abnormal heart, breath, and bowel sounds and fetal heart tones for auscultation

•1400+ rhythm variants for ECG interpretation using standard clinical monitors

•Instructor-controlled blood pressure arm allows for realistic palpation and auscultation. Systolic and diastolic pressures, ausculatory gap, and volume are variable

•Articulating IV arm allows for practice of IV cannulation, medication administration, and site care and maintenance

•Practice medication dose calculations and administration through intramuscular injections at the deltoid, gluteal, ventrogluteal, and thigh sites

•VitalSim enables creating, editing and running scenarios

•Optional modules can be added for breast examination, post-surgical mastectomy care, fundus massage skills, and assessment and care of wounds and surgical incisions