Racing hearts? You bet. Bodily fluids? Sometimes. Sweaty palms? Always. Linfield College alumni are helping strengthen the nursing workforce by creating real-world simulations for students

Davis, Laura

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One-of-a-Kind Program Trains Next Generation Nurses

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Linfield Magazine Volume 14 Number 1 Fall 2017 - #THETECHISSUE Article 16 Fall 2017 One-of-a-Kind Program Trains Next Generation Nurses Laura Davis Linfield College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine Recommended Citation Davis, Laura (2017) "One-of-a-Kind Program Trains Next Generation Nurses," Linfield Magazine: Vol. 14 : No. 1 , Article 16. Available at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine/vol14/iss1/16 This article is brought to you for free via open access, courtesy of DigitalCommons@Linfield. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@linfield.edu. Fa l l  2017    |    L i n f i e l d  Magaz ine  -  30Ten-year-old	Dominic	lies	in	a	hospital	bed.	He’s	scared,	feverish	and	moaning	with	appendicitis.	His	mom	sits	close	by,	a	hand	on	his	arm,	waiting	to	hear	about	surgery.	The	one	comfort	they	have	is	nursing	major	Teighlor	Glavin	’18,	who	fields	their	questions	as	she	looks	over	Dominic’s	chart.		 Then	a	piercing	alarm	from	the	intravenous-drip	machine	ratchets up the tension.	 A	few	feet	away	behind	two-way	glass,	Keondra	Rustan,	 visiting	assistant	professor,	makes	notes	on	a	checklist.	When	Glavin	calls	the	charge	nurse	to	stop	the	alarm,	Rustan	answers.	Later,	when	Glavin	dials	a	doctor	to	verify	medication	dosage,	Rustan	answers	again,	this	time	using	a	different	voice	and	persona.		 The	scenario	is	simulated	–	Dominic	is	a	manikin	and	his	mother	is	volunteer	actor	Molly	Mattick	’16	–	but	the	stress	and	the	education	in	the	Linfield	College	Nursing	Simulation	(SIM)	Lab is real.	 “I	learn	the	most	from	the	reflection	afterward,”	says	Glavin,	who	quickly	silenced	the	alarm,	the	result	of 	air	in	an	IV	line.	“When	I’m	in	there,	I	know	I’m	being	watched.	It’s	nerve-racking.”	 Mattick,	the	volunteer,	agrees.	She	remembers	well	the	sweaty	palms	and	anxiety	from	her	student	days.		 “SIM	lab	gave	us	a	safe	space	to	make	mistakes,”	says	Mattick,	an	intake	and	assessment	nurse	at	Cedar	Hills	Hospital	in	southwest	Portland.	“Now	practicing	with	confidence	as	an	RN,	I	felt	like	 I	could	offer	positive	and	supportive	feedback.”		 Nursing	schools	have	long	used	simulation	labs	to	train	stu-dents	in	stressful	scenarios.	They’ve	become	even	more	prevalent	in	recent	years,	as	outside	clinical	sites	become	scarce	because	of 	 a	number	of 	factors	–	the	rise	in	nursing	programs,	lack	of 	 credentialed clinical faculty and drop in community partnerships.	 The	realistic	settings	are	a	critical	aspect	of 	nursing	education,	and	no	one	understands	that	better	than	Linfield	alumni,	who	like	Mattick	often	volunteer	as	actors	to	help	train	the	next	generation.		 The	alumni	program	is	the	first	of 	its	kind	–	at	Linfield	and	elsewhere.	Program	coordinator	Rustan	says	she	doesn’t	know	of 	 a similar model anywhere else in the nation. 	 “Linfield	is	a	community,	and	alumni	are	invested	in	the	school	 after	they	graduate,”	she	says.	“It	makes	a	big	difference	to	the	students	to	work	with	actors	who	are	nurses.	It	wasn’t	that	long	ago	that	they	were	in	the	students’	shoes.”	 An	alumnus	might	play	a	family	member	of 	the	manikin,	or	sometimes	act	as	a	patient.	Whatever	the	role,	they	tend	to	play	it	with	gusto.	Will	Chow	’15,	a	nurse	in	the	acute	mental	health	unit	at	the	Portland	VA	Medical	Center,	has	acted	the	part	of 	a	concerned	relative.		 “Patient	scenarios	are	much	more	believable	with	a	real	person	participating	in	one	of 	the	roles,”	he	says.	“I	enjoyed	practicing	the	various	scenarios	(as	a	student)	and	wanted	to	help	current	students.”	 That	personal	aspect	is	important	to	students	like	Olivia	Bannerot	’18,	who	says	it’s	easier	to	relate	to	a	real	person	than	a	manikin	because	you	can	read	facial	expressions.	 “My	heart	rate	races	as	soon	as	I	walk	into	the	room,”	she	added.	“But	it’s	a	great	way	to	practice	without	the	fear	of 	hurting	a	human.”	 Linfield	students	have	access	to	more	than	three	dozen	man-ikins,	ranging	from	“low-fidelity”	(think	department	store	clothes	models)	to	“high-fidelity,”	which	speak,	contain	bodily	fluids,	One-of-a-kind program  trains next generation nursesRacing hearts? You bet. Bodily fluids? Sometimes. Sweaty palms? Always.  Linfield College alumni are helping strengthen the nursing workforce by  creating real-world simulations for students.Fa l l  2017    |    L i n f i e l d  Magaz ine  -  31cough,	vomit	and	generally	are	more	human-like.	Students	take	part	in	three	trainings	each	semester,	honing	skills	in	time	manage-ment and patient communications.  	 “False	reassurances	such	as	‘you’ll	be	okay’	are	the	last	thing	patients	want	to	hear,”	Rustan	says.	“We	might	not	be	aware	we’re	saying	things	too	casually	or	too	formally	to	a	patient.”	 After	the	lab,	students	receive	individualized	evaluations	and	training,	such	as	tips	on	using	the	IV	pump.	Alumni	discuss	the	care	they	received	and	how	it	relates	to	a	real-world	scenario.	 Rustan	sees	enormous	change	in	students	after	simulations,	including	increased	confidence	and	more	purposeful	thinking.		 “They	start	out	calling	for	their	charge	nurse	a	lot,	but	as	they	progress,	they	call	less	and	less,”	Rustan	says.	“They	become	professionals.”	 Back	in	the	SIM	lab,	Glavin,	the	nursing	student,	is	conclud-ing	her	shift.	But	first,	she	fluffs	an	extra	pillow	and	tucks	it	under	Dominic	to	help	him	rest.	Mattock,	playing	the	role	of 	his	mother,	thanks	her	for	the	simple	act	of 	kindness.–	Laura	DavisMolly Mattick ’16, playing the part of a worried mother, comforts “son” Dominic during a session in the Linfield College Nursing Simulation Lab. Mattick and other nursing graduates participate in the alumni volunteer program, the first of its kind, to help train the next generation of nurses.linfield.edu/fall-2017-videosFa l l  2017    |    L i n f i e l d  Magaz ine  -  30Ten-year-old	Dominic	lies	in	a	hospital	bed.	He’s	scared,	feverish	and	moaning	with	appendicitis.	His	mom	sits	close	by,	a	hand	on	his	arm,	waiting	to	hear	about	surgery.	The	one	comfort	they	have	is	nursing	major	Teighlor	Glavin	’18,	who	fields	their	questions	as	she	looks	over	Dominic’s	chart.		 Then	a	piercing	alarm	from	the	intravenous-drip	machine	ratchets up the tension.	 A	few	feet	away	behind	two-way	glass,	Keondra	Rustan,	 visiting	assistant	professor,	makes	notes	on	a	checklist.	When	Glavin	calls	the	charge	nurse	to	stop	the	alarm,	Rustan	answers.	Later,	when	Glavin	dials	a	doctor	to	verify	medication	dosage,	Rustan	answers	again,	this	time	using	a	different	voice	and	persona.		 The	scenario	is	simulated	–	Dominic	is	a	manikin	and	his	mother	is	volunteer	actor	Molly	Mattick	’16	–	but	the	stress	and	the	education	in	the	Linfield	College	Nursing	Simulation	(SIM)	Lab is real.	 “I	learn	the	most	from	the	reflection	afterward,”	says	Glavin,	who	quickly	silenced	the	alarm,	the	result	of 	air	in	an	IV	line.	“When	I’m	in	there,	I	know	I’m	being	watched.	It’s	nerve-racking.”	 Mattick,	the	volunteer,	agrees.	She	remembers	well	the	sweaty	palms	and	anxiety	from	her	student	days.		 “SIM	lab	gave	us	a	safe	space	to	make	mistakes,”	says	Mattick,	an	intake	and	assessment	nurse	at	Cedar	Hills	Hospital	in	southwest	Portland.	“Now	practicing	with	confidence	as	an	RN,	I	felt	like	 I	could	offer	positive	and	supportive	feedback.”		 Nursing	schools	have	long	used	simulation	labs	to	train	stu-dents	in	stressful	scenarios.	They’ve	become	even	more	prevalent	in	recent	years,	as	outside	clinical	sites	become	scarce	because	of 	 a	number	of 	factors	–	the	rise	in	nursing	programs,	lack	of 	 credentialed clinical faculty and drop in community partnerships.	 The	realistic	settings	are	a	critical	aspect	of 	nursing	education,	and	no	one	understands	that	better	than	Linfield	alumni,	who	like	Mattick	often	volunteer	as	actors	to	help	train	the	next	generation.		 The	alumni	program	is	the	first	of 	its	kind	–	at	Linfield	and	elsewhere.	Program	coordinator	Rustan	says	she	doesn’t	know	of 	 a similar model anywhere else in the nation. 	 “Linfield	is	a	community,	and	alumni	are	invested	in	the	school	 after	they	graduate,”	she	says.	“It	makes	a	big	difference	to	the	students	to	work	with	actors	who	are	nurses.	It	wasn’t	that	long	ago	that	they	were	in	the	students’	shoes.”	 An	alumnus	might	play	a	family	member	of 	the	manikin,	or	sometimes	act	as	a	patient.	Whatever	the	role,	they	tend	to	play	it	with	gusto.	Will	Chow	’15,	a	nurse	in	the	acute	mental	health	unit	at	the	Portland	VA	Medical	Center,	has	acted	the	part	of 	a	concerned	relative.		 “Patient	scenarios	are	much	more	believable	with	a	real	person	participating	in	one	of 	the	roles,”	he	says.	“I	enjoyed	practicing	the	various	scenarios	(as	a	student)	and	wanted	to	help	current	students.”	 That	personal	aspect	is	important	to	students	like	Olivia	Bannerot	’18,	who	says	it’s	easier	to	relate	to	a	real	person	than	a	manikin	because	you	can	read	facial	expressions.	 “My	heart	rate	races	as	soon	as	I	walk	into	the	room,”	she	added.	“But	it’s	a	great	way	to	practice	without	the	fear	of 	hurting	a	human.”	 Linfield	students	have	access	to	more	than	three	dozen	man-ikins,	ranging	from	“low-fidelity”	(think	department	store	clothes	models)	to	“high-fidelity,”	which	speak,	contain	bodily	fluids,	One-of-a-kind program  trains next generation nursesRacing hearts? You bet. Bodily fluids? Sometimes. Sweaty palms? Always.  Linfield College alumni are helping strengthen the nursing workforce by  creating real-world simulations for students.Fa l l  2017    |    L i n f i e l d  Magaz ine  -  31cough,	vomit	and	generally	are	more	human-like.	Students	take	part	in	three	trainings	each	semester,	honing	skills	in	time	manage-ment and patient communications.  	 “False	reassurances	such	as	‘you’ll	be	okay’	are	the	last	thing	patients	want	to	hear,”	Rustan	says.	“We	might	not	be	aware	we’re	saying	things	too	casually	or	too	formally	to	a	patient.”	 After	the	lab,	students	receive	individualized	evaluations	and	training,	such	as	tips	on	using	the	IV	pump.	Alumni	discuss	the	care	they	received	and	how	it	relates	to	a	real-world	scenario.	 Rustan	sees	enormous	change	in	students	after	simulations,	including	increased	confidence	and	more	purposeful	thinking.		 “They	start	out	calling	for	their	charge	nurse	a	lot,	but	as	they	progress,	they	call	less	and	less,”	Rustan	says.	“They	become	professionals.”	 Back	in	the	SIM	lab,	Glavin,	the	nursing	student,	is	conclud-ing	her	shift.	But	first,	she	fluffs	an	extra	pillow	and	tucks	it	under	Dominic	to	help	him	rest.	Mattock,	playing	the	role	of 	his	mother,	thanks	her	for	the	simple	act	of 	kindness.–	Laura	DavisMolly Mattick ’16, playing the part of a worried mother, comforts “son” Dominic during a session in the Linfield College Nursing Simulation Lab. Mattick and other nursing graduates participate in the alumni volunteer program, the first of its kind, to help train the next generation of nurses.linfield.edu/fall-2017-videos

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One-of-a-Kind Program Trains Next Generation Nurses

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