Teamwork is vital in simulated Hospital Day
Aparamedic team rushes into the emergency department with a victim of a car crash, and as nurses rush to respond, one of the hospital staff falls over in a faint. In the chaos of the situation, what is each person’s role, and can they respond to the urgency of the moment?
By creating realistic simulations, faculty at San Jacinto College are preparing students to think beyond the skills needed in their medical role to what it takes to work as teams, to give and receive orders, to react to the unexpected, and communicate effectively.
This type of interprofessional education is an opportunity for multiple health disciplines to learn together to reduce negative patient outcomes, said Rhonda Bell, a registered nurse and the dean of health and natural sciences at San Jacinto College’s North Campus.
“These simulations give students the opportunity to practice teamwork, collaboration and communication in a controlled environment,” she said.
San Jacinto College’s North Campus offers a “Hospital Day” twice a year. For four hours, senior students in seven programs — paramedic/ EMT, pharmacy technician, medical assisting, mental health counseling, health information management, and associate and vocational nursing — participate in complex scenarios as part of their clinical studies. Junior students play the roles of the standardized patients and family members, while the faculty assume the role of doctors.
The logistical challenge of pulling off this biannual event falls to Daniel CoVan, a registered nurse and the simulation coordinator.
“Each time, we build on the last event, making some tweaks,” he said. “On the day, we have several scenarios happening at once. We may have a heart attack victim brought in by the paramedics that nurses need to move to the ICU. We have orders for the pharmacy and we build medical charts. A ‘patient’ may need grief counseling. We place the students into real-life situations based on our own professional experiences. Afterward, the response from students is overwhelmingly positive.”
Bell said research supports the positive influence of interdisciplinary teams, so simulations are becoming more widespread in health care education. Because there is a nurse on nearly every type of health care team, Bell believes this aspect of education is crucial for nurses.
“Nurses are leading the health care agenda and promoting interdisciplinary communications,” she said. “We’ve noticed that at the beginning of our simulations, our nursing students are often meek and timid. By the end, they are taking control of the situation and coordinating care.
“That’s what interprofessional education is about, the opportunity to communicate and get ‘aha’ moments so they have the confidence they need in the field.”
San Jacinto College held its first simulation in 2011. In February, 75 students participated in the Hospital Day at North Campus.
“When we first talk about our simulation days, many students aren’t that excited,” Bell said. “Once they immerse themselves in the environment, though, they transform.
“At the debriefing, many will admit that they were scared, and they see the value of the experience and how it will help them in the real world.”
“We’ve noticed that at the beginning of our simulations, our nursing students are often meek and timid. By the end, they are taking control of the situation.” Rhonda Bell, RN and dean of health and natural sciences, San Jacinto College’s North Campus