The Simulation Lab (SIM Lab) integrates hi-tech with "high touch" to create a learning environment that is conducive to developing a student's technical skills and ability to apply their knowledge to real-life case scenarios. As clinical site access becomes more competitive and the clinical experience requirements more specific, a high end SIM lab provides students with the access they need to succeed and gain the diagnostic experience they need to address a multitude of real life health issues.
Safe, no-risk environment where students have the freedom to make mistakes and learn.
Through simulation video capture and debriefing, students can receive detailed feedback and evaluation of their own experience.
Skills can be role-modeled, practiced, and mastered before applying these learned skills to a live environment.
Removes the barriers of accessibility to clinical sites, personal schedules, and waiting to experience specific clinical case scenarios.
Improves clinical decision making, patient care, and patient management.
Simulation is an innovative teaching strategy that offers authentic learning activities that mimic "real life" patient scenarios/situations. Human patient simulators range from low-fidelity (which are non-computerized and on which performance skills such as catheter insertion and wound care can be practiced on), to medium and high fidelity which are computerized manikins that have life like features and physiological response as a real patient would.
The high-fidelity simulator's chest rises and fall with inspiration and expiration, the simulator talks and responds to questions asked; realistic heart, lung, and bowel sounds can be auscultated. Learners can learn basic assessment skills or as they progress can be exposed to a patient scenario for which they have to enact all steps of the nursing process as well as critical thinking and decision making.
Simulation is a vital part of many of the nursing courses here at ETSU with simulation ranging from assessment skills to higher-order thinking and decision making during a scenario. Faculty work with learners to offer a teaching and learning strategy that meets the needs of different learning styles and the needs of today's learners.
In addition to the use of simulation in the classroom, Dr. Candice Short can be contacted for tours of the simulation lab which include an interactive simulation activity, opportunities for remediation of skills, evaluation of skill competency, one-on-one or small group activities as learner's request, and much much more. We encourage you to contact us because our simulation lab is a valuable resource to both the learner and the instructor.