OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) – West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling cut the ribbon to unveil their new nursing simulation lab today.
They have four patient rooms with three adult mannequins, one child and one newborn, all electronically programmable to present various symptoms. The mannequins have human features, and can even talk, cry and respond to questions.
Nursing students can hear their breathing, watch their heartbeats, even see their pupils dilate in response to light.
“This gives us an opportunity to come in and learn about critical care with patients without going into the field and feeling anxious and feeling like we’re going to hurt somebody. We get to make our mistakes in here and learn from them.”
Rebecca Wise, WVNCC Nursing Student
“And they can be programmed to, for hundreds of different scenarios, giving students the opportunity to practice and see some things that they are not going to see in their daily clinicals.”
Bonnie Peterman, Allied Health Division Chair
One mannequin is a five-year-old boy that talks, blinks and cries. The lab and equipment were made possible as part of the one million dollar Nursing Workforce Expansion Program awarded through Governor Jim Justice’s office.
