Designed as a realistic learning environment to replicate a hospital ward, care home or consultation room at a GP’s surgery, the suites are kitted out with authentic medical equipment and full body manikins.
This gives the 16-18 year old students, who are taking their first steps towards a career in health, the chance to learn healthcare skills as well as get used to a clinical environment before their placement.
Sigma Sixth in Clacton, Essex, is one of the colleges with a brand-new simulation suite. T Level staff at the college explain what happens there:
“Students can conduct blood pressure and pulse assessments via advanced simulators and gain a deeper understanding of diagnostic processes. The simulation headboards create a true-to-life hospital environment, providing students with the feeling of being on a real ward as they engage in patient care scenarios.”
Simulaids worked with Sigma Sixth to provide both equipment for their suite and the manikins for the students to train with.
Sarah McKarry, Head of Sigma Sixth, said:
“We are thrilled with our new provision – it feels like you are stepping into a clinical space with live patients. This is superb environment for our young people to develop their nursing skills.”
The students would seem to agree! Year 12 T-Level Health Student Ruby M says:
“As we adjust beds and prepare hoists we communicate with the manikins as if they are real patients. This has helped to develop my confidence and established care routines”
Her classmate Esme, added:
“It feels like you are in a hospital or care home with real patients.”
Simulaids have been working with a number of other schools and sixth form colleges to help kit out their simulation suites and provide training manikins, including Darlington College, Outwood Academy Adwick in Doncaster and Harlow College.
Sarah Lloyd, T-level programme leader for Health and Social Care at Darlington, said:
“These new facilities, complete with the AI manikins, make teaching so much easier. In the past I have been telling students ‘This is what it will be like’. Now they can experience it for themselves.”
National T Level Ambassador and Assistant Academy Manager at Harlow College Philippa Bennett agrees:
“Many of our students go on placement in our local hospital. It’s a very different environment to a classroom, so to have the simulation suite there to help them understand what they might see on placement is really important.
The pathway we’re doing is supporting the adult nursing team, so the sim suite needs to feel like an adult ward. You need those hospital beds that are the same as you’d find in a hospital ward. You need the curtains, even down to the jugs and cups of water.
All these things help our students prepare for placement. We have taps for hand washing, they wear uniforms and they tie their hair up, which all matter. We want them to walk into that ward and be able to act as clinical practitioners straightaway.”
Bradley Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer for Simulaids, said:
“We’ve been really excited to work with so many colleges to help equip their simulation suites and wards. The T Level Course provides a great opportunity for so many young people after their GCSEs to begin a career in healthcare, and their learning environment is so important to help them to get used to a clinical setting.
By sourcing high quality authentic furniture and equipment, as well as the latest manikins and skills trainers, we hope we’re playing a part in the development of the much-needed next generation of healthcare professionals.”
Browse our T Levels shop and contact our knowledgeable team to find out more about the sort of simulation and sim suite products Simulaids are able to provide.
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