Is anyone using computerized Human Patient Simulators?

[Nurse Bethie]

We are just starting with our high fidelity Human Patient Simulators and I am wondering how others are using them within their nursing curriculum. I am responsible for the Clinical Skills Lab and will be the front line in introducing and operating these wonderful tools.

I am very exciting about introducing them and I know that the students who are aware of the program are too. I am worried about some of the faculty who at this time are voicing their intention not to change and integrate this technology into "their" clinical course.

How are others doing with this? Am I in a pretty normal place...with some enthusiasm and some fear from my faculty?

I would love to hear from anyone who is working with this technology.

[DFW]

Hi, Nurse Bethie!

I teach at a community college ADN program. We have about a year's experience with simulators. They came in useful as make-up clinical experience and some faculty have incorporated structured simulations on certain topics in some courses. We are still learning.

I am interested in techniques that might be added to the patient simulator experience that helps students learn how to document patient care and nursing actions. Do you use paper forms that simulate what you see in clinical agencies? Have any schools adopted computer-based nursing documentation systems? We are launching a pilot project to use tablet PCs to allow "charting" on Word Forms that we will create ourselves. But if anyone is aware of a another method, please respond to this post.

Thanks,

DFW

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

The Interactive Patient:

http://medicus.marshall.edu/

Useful for medical students, but can this be adapted for use by nursing students?