BIG MAN ON CAMPUS IS SMART DUMMY

Mesa – Pima Medical Institute Purchases SimMan For Nursing Program

He is average height, approximately 75 pounds, and grouchy, but that does not stop him from being a big hit with the students and faculty at Pima Medical Institute, 941 S. Dobson Road in Mesa. SimMan, an interactive, human-patient simulator is one of the latest acquisitions for PMI’s nursing program that is anticipated to start in spring or summer this year.

SimMan, manufactured by Laerdal, is an interactive teaching tool for nursing and other medical trainees that is designed for simulation and practice of a complete range of patient assessment and care procedures, including bowel, heart and respiratory sounds that reflect his programmed medical condition, palpable pulse rate and an updated blood pressure arm.

He talks, (including realistic complaints), answers questions, and with a voice input via microphone can cough, vomit, moan, scream and produce other realistic sounds that reflect his condition. Students can literally make assessments from head to toe, from mouth and denture care procedure to caring for a diabetic foot with gangrenous toes.

“SimMan is a great teaching tool that will provide our future nursing students with a wide range of real-life medical scenarios that they will experience when they begin their nursing careers,” said Sharon Caves, Nurse Education Coordinator for PMI’s Mesa campus. “If they make a mistake and give SimMan the wrong medication, he will simulate the consequences – including death. If they’re going to make mistakes, we want it to happen here, have them learn from it, assess what they can do better and move on. He is going to be a valuable asset to our nursing program.”

PMI is one of the premiere medical career schools in the western United States. The privately owned, nationally accredited school provides students with a well-rounded education embracing theoretical classroom studies, as well as on-site training at medical facilities that mirror the working environment they will pursue after graduation.

Founded in Tucson, PMI has been educating students since 1972, with campuses in: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chula Vista, CA; Denver and Colorado Springs, CO; Seattle and Renton, WA; Las Vegas, NV and in Tucson and Mesa, AZ. Additional information is available at http://www.pmi.edu or by calling 1-888-442-5998.