UAMS AHEC North Central Donates Use of $80,000 Manikin
| BATESVILLE – An $80,000 computerized manikin that can simulate human illnesses and conditions has been donated to the White River Medical Center (WRMC) in Batesville by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Area Health Education Center (AHEC) North Central.
Called the SimMan 3G, the state-of-the-art simulation manikin is a valuable teaching tool for the hospital’s clinical staff, as well as nursing students at WRMC, said Janie Evans, R.N., clinical education coordinator at WRMC.
The manikin will be used for basic and advanced skills, Evans said. “We’re very excited about providing this type of advanced clinical training in our region, and we’re grateful to the UAMS AHEC North Central.”
The simulation manikin has eyes that blink, pupils that react to light and the ability to bleed. It includes an internal meter and programming that enable it to respond to more than 100 drugs.
The manikin is one of the tools in the Nursing Skills Lab at WRMC. The Nursing Skills Lab is an important component of WRMC’s strategy that supports the educational needs and goals of nursing. Nurses use the SimMan to enhance their skills, and medical surgical nurses perform head-to-toe assessments during annual skills evaluations. The manikin also will be used in trauma care training.
“Having a simulation manikin provides a safe and controlled environment for our nurses and others to enhance their critical thinking skills, technical skills and self confidence,” said Michelle Brewer, an advanced practice nurse and director of nursing education at AHEC North Central.
WRMC is a 199-bed regional referral center and the flagship facility of White River Health System (WRHS). WRHS is a not-for-profit health care system serving residents throughout north central Arkansas. The system includes hospitals, outpatient facilities, primary care and specialty physician office practices and a medical equipment company. White River Health System is a member of the Premier Alliance, the American Hospital Association, and the Arkansas Hospital Association and licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health.
UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Related Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a 540,000-square-foot hospital; six centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has 2,775 students and 748 medical residents. Its centers of excellence include the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, the Psychiatric Research Institute and the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including nearly 1,150 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and UAMS’ Area Health Education Centers throughout the state. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com.