SimLife Center Gives Students Real Life Experience 4/28/12

Tatum Guinn
CBS 7 News
April 28, 2012
tguinn@cbs7.com

Midland, TX - The Marie F. Hall SimLife Center at Midland College is busy with students learning on mannequins in a simulated situation.

Lee Keesee, director of the SimLife Center says this type of learning gives their students something lectures cannot.

"They come here and practice in a safe environment and if they make a mistake it's ok," Keesee said. "It allows you to get your hands on and to get some practice."

The 11,000 square foot building is set up exactly like a hospital so the students can get real life experience with out the real life pressure.

"When you’re in a clinical experience at the hospital and are in a situation you've never experienced, it's scary. Here you get to learn without the pressure of making a mistake," Marissa Fierro, MC nursing student said.

"With your hands on, you're actually able to remember it. You can always go back to it when you're in a clinical," Justin Shanks, MC nursing student said.

The patient is just a mannequin, but it can go into cardiac arrest, respiratory failure and interacts like a normal patient; making this plastic patient truly come alive.

Along with getting hands-on experience, when the students aren't in a patient room, they're able to sit in one of the classrooms and observe another students working on a patient.

"It allows them to be in a simulated environment and be the professional they are," Keesee said.

Because of the SimLife Center, students feel that they are better prepared for when they work in a real hospital with the real patients.

"Build on their skills so that when we do get into the work force, we have a better knowledge and are able to perform our tasks better," Shanks said.

The facility has nine patient rooms along with an emergency room and a delivery room.