Nursing open house highlights students
Students of the Weber State and Utah State Cooperative School of Nursing practiced on “live” mannequins during the nursing program’s open house Wednesday afternoon. Classrooms were set up to simulate a hospital setting, where hospital beds and IVs replaced desks.
The open house was meant to show the public how students have been able to learn nursing skills in hospital-like environments.
Jon Kelly, campus coordinator for the nursing program, said the open house was an important opportunity for nursing students to practice what they’ve learned.
“This is a simulation lab where we will be able to bring students into a safe environment,” Kelly said. “They are able to practice their skills on essentially a live mannequin. We can simulate these processes and practice skills of intervention where they can be comfortable to go into a critical situation and have that confidence, to have that skill level that translates to actual live patient care.”
Kelly said because the open house was available for the public, they had visitors from the community, local businesses and staff.
“We recently upgraded our recent lab mannequins and new technology,” he said. “We want people to be aware of our resources. How we educate an RN student is a modern way to look at things and to show that our students are educated in a confident manner.”
Kelly said members of local hospitals will be able to see students practicing skills that they could be practicing in the future.
“Our main purpose is education to the public,” Kelly said. “I hope that it promotes who we are and the understanding that Weber has a partnership with Utah State. I hope it brings public awareness to the benefits of student simulation.”
Tayler Shepard, a second-year student of the nursing program, volunteered to participate in the open house. She demonstrated how to properly insert an IV into a mannequin with a blood bag hanging above its bed. She said she volunteered to show how the students have been able to practice in the program throughout the year.
“I actually really just want to show people what our mannequins can do here in the lab and how we practice before we go to the hospital,” she said.
Shepard said she believes the open house has a lot to offer for those who came.
“We want to show what this lab is and what our program has to offer,” she said. “We have different skills that we learn throughout the year and to show how important they are in these settings for nurses, and that we have the opportunity to learn here before.”
Shepard said she feels the open house does a really good jo
b of simulating what it would be like in a real-life situation.
“We go to hospitals,” she said. “Each hospital is different and each hospital room, the floor you’re at and where you’re working. But it compares well with having a patient in a bed who needs your help. Each patient has a need for different skills to help them become better and so that’s what we’re learning. That’s nursing.”
Trisha Barker, a student lab assistant, said the nursing students were under constant surveillance during the open house.
“I record each student as their practicing each scenario on their patient,” Barker said. “We put bookmarks around their recording so they can know if they did something right, if they didn’t do something right. Nobody likes to watch themselves because it makes you feel uncomfortable and awkward, but it’s such a great tool because in the moment, you can get tunnel vision.”
Barker said participating in the open house is a great opportunity for the public and students.
“It’s a good way to prove you know what you’re doing,” she said. “I think it’s a great thing for hospitals and other schools to know what we have now.”
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