The Nursing Department at Contra Costa College
What do Nursing Simulation and American Idol have in common?
WHAT IS SIMULATION? Uses a high fidelity manikin to simulate a clinical situation in the hospital, most often an emergency The manikin can do amazing things he breathes, has lung sounds, has heart sounds, blinks, seizes, talks, and has vital signs. Simulation always followed by debriefing Most importantly, it is a safe place to learn to make mistakes afe place to learn and
SIM MAN 3G by Laerdal
Sim Lab at Contra Costa College
Control Room in Sim Lab
HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER?? Simulation by itself took our nursing program to a higher level It is stressful for students-cameras and video recordings What could we do to make it more fun and less of an anxiety producing experience? What about a competition? Other departments have competitions. Would they do it?
HOW THE COMPETITION CAME TO BE Idea presented at a departmental meeting All faculty decided we should do it Lots of discussion What scenario? Different roles for faculty? How to make it fair? Who would be judges? How to engage students not in the competition?
WHAT IF WE DID A SIMULATION COMPETITION AND MADE IT LIKE AMERICAN IDOL? Four years ago decided to launch an annual competition It is on a volunteer basis for the students Students sign up in teams of 2 Same scenario for all teams (pt. in ER with chest pain) Teams are sequestered on competition day
HOW IS IT LIKE AMERICAN IDOL? We have 3 professional judges (just like AI) The graduating class watches each team by a video feed in real time Judges decide half the vote; graduating students not in the competition decide half the vote (just like AI) Student teams receive immediate feedback following their performance (just like AI)
Students Receiving Feedback
IT TAKES OUR TEAM OF FACULTY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN One person oversees the competition and sets up for each team One person talks for the manikin in each scenario One person gives report on the patient before each team cares for the patient Some faculty (retired, part time) are judges All faculty create buzz about the competition
Nursing Professor The Voice of SIM Man
Students Receiving Instructions
Student and Professional Judges
Professional Judges
Video from the 2013 Competition
WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE? Students love the competition Many wonderful comments on Facebook All students learn a lot from actually being in the competition or being a judge The students perform at a very high level (one nurse observing thought the students were RNs already)
A FACEBOOK QUOTE Our simulation competition was a blast! It's amazing to realize how much growth we have made in 2 years and what we can do. Everyone is going to make great nurses. -- Student competitor
Students in the 2014 Competition
THE BEST OUTCOME The students learn about cardiac events and have fun while doing something really important (caring for a patient having chest pain) At some point in the future, patient lives will be impacted during the students careers as nurses. Our students will be able to act quickly and efficiently in medical emergencies.
ONE LAST MESSAGE We know simulation helps to save patients lives. The students know it increases their knowledge and confidence. On innovation If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. -- Albert Einstein
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