Simulation lab field trip inspires student career goals

DOVER — As part of the Scrub Club curriculum, Catskill Hudson Area Health Education Center (AHEC) arranged to send 26 Dover Scrub Club students on a field trip to Albany Medical College Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center Simulation Lab on Wednesday, Jan. 14. The center’s 12,000 square feet of dedicated clinical space offers a wealth of training tools, featuring Laerdal SimMan mannequins that have a wide range of lifelike physiological features — from real tears, dilating pupils and heart and lung sounds to wireless, real-time responses to drug treatment and procedures.Upon arriving, students viewed a video and participated in a 20-minute question-and-answer/discussion session centered on the heart function and health. A “patient” (a specially trained staff member) later remained in character as he presented his physical symptoms to the group and answered student questions about his condition. After the exercise, the staff member came out of character to give the group feedback on how their questioning affected him and what information they had missed during their inquiries. The Scrub Club students were then led to the simulation lab where they played the role of nurse, doctor and family member to a remarkably life-like simulated mannequin, heightening the real-life clinical experience. They started the patient on oxygen, took his blood pressure, started an Intravenous therapy (IV), and monitored his electrocardiogram (EKG). Lastly, the group was taken to a lab where they experienced auscultating heart sounds, practiced fine motor skills that a surgeon would need, and used an advanced blood pressure/heart rate/blood oxygen meter machine to measure their own vital signs. This trip proved to be an educational and life-changing experience for the students. “Now I know why I have to study so hard in school. If I want to come to a school like this someday, I will need to get good grades,” stated one student. Additional comments included, “I always thought I wanted to be an obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) doctor, but now I am sure of it.” and, “I learned more here today than in the last week of regular classes.”Dover High School is one of 11 area high schools, BOCES and community-based, at-risk youth programs to implement Scrub Club, which was developed by Catskill Hudson AHEC to introduce high school students to various health occupations as future career options through hands-on activities and meaningful field trips.Catskill Hudson AHEC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to address regional healthcare workforce shortages through education and collaborative community relationships to assist students, career seekers and health professions. For additional information on Scrub Club, go to www.chahec.org/programs.Katherine Doyle is program and marketing coordinator for Catskill Hudson Area Health Education Center.