A birthing mother screams with pain and asks for medication. Her newborn child barely survives the difficult birth, evident by a bluish color and lack of a heartbeat. The nursing students kick into high gear and make all the right moves to revive the infant, who moves like a real baby, even offering up a cry of distress after leaving the warmth of his mother’s belly.

Walking into the School of Nursing’s Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center is like walking onto the set of the television series “ER.”

There are hospital beds with privacy curtains, supply cabinets with the necessary contents, flashing monitors, roll-away carts, and saline solution hanging from racks.

All this equipment and more is in the CSC, including “patients” of all sizes and genders. The mannequin-like simulators have one distinct advantage over real patients – they don’t mind needles.

“Because of the random nature of clinical experiences, it is difficult to provide the necessary, let alone consistent type of experiences to allow students to participate actively in the clinical learning exercises,” said Dr. Jan Cooper, assistant professor of nursing. “Relying on hands-on clinical training with real patients in actual patient-care settings presents another challenge for nursing education – patient safety.”

The lab offers near real-life patients to give the students all-important reality training without the worry of mistakes that could harm the patient.

Cooper said the CSC was established to prepare professional nurses who provide patient-centered care, work in interdisciplinary teams, employ evidenced-based practice, apply quality improvement, and use information technology. She said it prepares quality professional nurses with enhanced clinical readiness, critical-thinking abilities, clinical competence, communication skills, and collaboration experience.

“The mission of the CSC is to provide quality, hands-on learning experiences in a safe and realistic environment that are based on nursing knowledge, patient safety, evidence–based practice, and professionalism,” Cooper said.

“Through simulation technology, nursing students have the opportunity to develop and refine their skills without putting patients at risk. At the same time, students gain confidence in their ability to perform clinical skills with actual patients.”

The CSC is located in the basement of the School of Nursing and has recently expanded to include an additional 550 square feet for simulation. As the developers have worked to integrate simulation throughout the nursing program, additional space has been allocated to the development of two simulation suites.

The CSC is currently equipped with eight mid-fidelity simulators, patient-care mannequins, numerous task trainers and two virtual IV simulators.

“The students who select UMC’s School of Nursing to prepare for their career choice expect us to offer them the best educational opportunities,” said Dr. Kaye Bender, dean of the school. “Most of our students use technology in all aspects of their lives. Their experience with nursing education through the use of simulated clinical laboratory training will afford them the opportunity to experience sound clinical cases using a medium they enjoy.

“I am pleased that we are on the cutting edge of 21st century nursing education.”

The simulation lab has been in use for approximately four years.

“The application of this type of technology is clearly advantageous to improving quality and safety of care,” Cooper said. “The School of Nursing is excited to be using this versatile and cutting-edge technology to assist our students in becoming excellent practitioners and to assist the Medical Center to further achieve its mission.”

—Dani Edmonson 12-3-2007

School of Nursing, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street,
Jackson MS 39216-4505 (601) 984-6200

Copyright © 2008 The University of Mississippi Medical Center. All Rights Reserved.

This page last modified on December 3, 2007