Courtesy Photo Alpena Community College Nursing Instructor Bev Banks tests out the new simulators during a training session with Gaumard, the company that makes the simulators.

ALPENA — Students in the Alpena Community College Nursing Program will soon have access to advanced technology that will allow them to practice performing various procedures and increase their hands-on knowledge.

ACC’s Strengthening Institutions Program Grant recently funded the purchase of four advanced patient simulators at a total cost of approximately $270,000. The nursing program received one advanced child birthing simulator, which includes two babies for various delivery positions/procedures, one advanced infant simulator that has full extremity articulation and the ability to change color and cry during assessment, and two adult patient simulators.

“One aspect of the simulators that I thought was important was that they all respond to/work with real medical equipment, like stethoscopes, so students are really getting as close to a real-life procedure as possible,” said SIP Grant Director Amanda Sumerix.

For the past 22 years the nursing program has had limited access to high fidelity simulators. The SIP grant, along with other grants that the program has applied for, has now outfitted the nursing lab with a full range of high fidelity simulators that will give ACC students more realistic preparation for real world nursing prior to and during clinical rotations.

These tetherless simulators also have monitors for displaying vital signs and are run off of control tablets. A representative from Gaumard, the manufacturer of these simulators, visited campus in July to conduct training with ACC Nursing Program Director Melissa Fournier and some of the full-time faculty members.

Even though the new Nursing Lab in Van Lare Hall isn’t complete yet, the program plans to incorporate these new simulators into nursing courses and labs this fall in their original lab in NRC.

These simulators will provide the students with scenarios that replicate real world situations without any threats to human safety.

“This advanced technology will improve student confidence and will make our already excellent program even better,” said Fournier. “The faculty and I are so appreciative of the support from the college and the community to make these advancements a reality for our present and future students.”

For more information, visit discover.alpenacc.edu.