Simulation labs

[rei-chan]

Now that we have had our first on campus simulation clinical day, I feel that I learned more about medical-surgical nursing in that one day than in all my days on the floor. I wish we had a few days like that at the hospital. At the Sim, we were given goals, guidance, shown how to use the equipment and computer system, and assistance when needed. These are the things I feel are missing from my experience on the floor. I can genuinely say that I love the simulation labs, supportive professors, and the idea of putting students in real life situations, having them learn from their mistakes, before making the same mistake on a real life patient.

I would like to hear other opinions on simulation labs. I should make this into a poll.

[Certifiable, BSN, RN]

I wish my university had sim labs... they don't have the money for it. We just have the regular labs with empty beds, not robotic patients.

I completely agree that it would be more constructive to screw up in a conrolled enviroment than on the ward.

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

I like the sim labs, but there is no substitute for actually seeing and caring for a patient in clinical with whatever condition is being simulated that week. You can only simulate so much with the sim dummies.

[rei-chan]

I feel the same way, but I love having time to be taught a "what if..." scenario in a controlled setting instead of being pushed into one without having learned anything, especially when paired with an experienced nurse and/or clinical instructor who has no interest in teaching/modeling. Even in the hospital they have practice codes and scenarios for various reasons. I still don't know how This could be better integrated in the first Med-Surge semester.