Future healthcare professionals at Kirkwood Community College are immersing themselves in the fast-paced arena of emergency medicine through a large-scale simulation taking place at the Katz Family Healthcare Simulation Center. Students from various disciplines, including nursing, paramedics, and respiratory therapy, are participating in this innovative exercise designed to provide them with hands-on training in responding to medical emergencies.
The simulation coordinator, Tiffany Regenwether, emphasizes that the focus of these exercises is on collaboration among different medical fields. “We want the same outcome for our patient and we want multiple disciplines to work together in a simulated environment,” she stated.
The training utilizes advanced mannequins that can talk, breathe, and even simulate bleeding, allowing students to take vital signs, start intravenous lines, and make critical decisions that reflect real-life scenarios they will encounter in their careers. Paramedic student Page Baughman noted the importance of understanding the broader role of emergency responders. “We’re not just in the back of an ambulance — you’ll see us in the ER, in OR, in specialty clinics, even flying in the air,” she explained. “It’s a big moment for EMS to understand what paramedics can do.”
Meanwhile, nursing students like Marlen Lizama are refining their skills in a mock emergency room setting, following step-by-step response plans that include monitoring vitals and intubation. “They’re trying to show us how it’s going to be in a hospital, how you’re going to have to communicate with paramedics and nurses. So it’s kind of cool how we do that now,” Lizama remarked.
Instructors highlight that fostering teamwork is essential for building the confidence students need as they prepare to enter the healthcare field. “Keeping our students engaged is so important to getting them into the real field and wanting to do good for people,” Regenwether added.
The two-day simulation is taking place from November 12 to 13 within Kirkwood’s state-of-the-art 12,000-square-foot training facility, providing an invaluable experience for aspiring healthcare workers. This initiative not only enhances the students’ practical skills but also prepares them for real-world collaboration in high-stakes environments, ultimately aiming to improve patient care in the community.