Getting real with human patient simulators

Inside the classroom: In addition to supervised practice in selected health agencies, TCC students who plan to be respiratory therapists gain hands-on experience in labs held in the Regional Health Professions Center. The labs make use of human patient simulators that allow students to practice critical thinking skills in a controlled environment with a patient that mimics real symptoms. In this exercise, the human patient simulator “Mrs. Johnson” suffered severe head trauma. The students had to control an unexpected seizure and administer an apnea test in addition to keeping her breathing steady.

Student voices: “These labs are invaluable. They helped me learn things that I won’t see during my internship.” – David Purk, respiratory therapist student

“Labs are stressful and intense. Without them, we wouldn’t have the knowledge to perform in real situations.” – Jessica Laidlaw, respiratory therapist student

Why this class is fabulous: “For our students, it’s eye-opening to experience things they’ve never done,” said Jennifer Ferguson, program director for respiratory therapy.