School of Nursing

The Medical-Surgical Laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility that functions as a skills and simulation laboratory. Students are able to build personal confidence through hands on experience to apply into the senior year residency program. A hands on practice approach to using actual hospital equipment is an essential part of the laboratory experience and patient simulators are provided to facilitate clinical skill competency. Fortunately, students are provided with the opportunity to learn basic nursing skills in the laboratory during the first year of nursing school. By the end of their second year, students have the necessary skills and course work to become certified nursing assistants. The junior level labs become more advanced as they require students to analyze a patient chart, evaluate physician orders, and provide appropriate care when assigned to a patient simulator such as SimMan, a computer controlled patient simulator. This requires students to incorporate best nursing practice and past course knowledge as SimMan can reproduce various medical conditions that requires students to intervene and assess him since he can breathe, cough, moan, and even answer questions. Through multiple scenario based laboratory experiences students are able to improve decision making, delegation, and teamwork skills while gaining the principles of technical skills. Within the laboratory there are six hospital beds and two exam tables designed to closely approximate a hospital environment. These areas are stocked with state-of-the-art supplies and hospital equipment for students to practice both basic and advanced nursing technologies. In addition to scheduled laboratory sessions, the laboratory remains open on Fridays for any nursing student who feels they need improvement in a particular nursing skill. Instructors encourage student participation at the sessions as practice helps students incorporate skills learned in the lab into the clinical setting.