Human Patient Simulator (HPS) Initiative
This initiative provides state-of-the-art clinical training for nursing students using an HPS lab. The "mediplex," which is housed at MCC-Penn Valley, includes two adult HPS, two Emergency Care Simulators, and two pediatrics HPS. The lab is a regional resource and a means of expanding nursing education capacity and capability within the greater KC area.
The expansion of educational capacity at area nursing schools has created an increased demand for clinical sites, where nursing students receive practical hands-on training with actual patients under close supervision.
A barrier to expanding educational capacity is the shortage of clinical sites to accommodate the increased number of additional nursing students.
Opportunity
- The Collegiate Nurse Educators and Kansas City Area Nurse Executives have a long-standing collaborative relationship in the metropolitan region
- Both groups work closely together to coordinate the scheduling of nursing student clinical training at area hospitals for pediatric, medical/surgical, OB/GYN and mental health rotations
- Available time slots at hospital clinical training sites are limited and additional clinical rotations are needed
- Human patient simulator technology represents an excellent alternative to actual interaction with real patients
- Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley has volunteered to operate a community human patient simulator laboratory at a new clinical training site scheduled for completion in late 2007
Overall Goal:
- The creation of a shared, community human patient simulator lab to provide clinical training for the additional nursing students created by the nurse expansion initiative