Nursing program has state-of-the-art patient simulator

UVU’s nursing program recently purchased an iStan high fidelity patient simulator, a state-of-the-art mannequin that’s as close to a patient as it can be without a real human heart.

Human simulators produce human body sounds, including sounds made by the heart and lungs. They also have pulses, so students can learn to take blood pressure. The iStan model features breath sounds that can be heard on its back, internal programming that reacts to the treatment the nursing student gives it and even has the capability to transmit sound from microphones, so that nursing instructors can talk through the simulator and interact with the students like a real patient.

“We can make scenarios to have the students care for almost any condition they will see in a hospital,” said Gary Measom, associate professor of nursing.

The iStan was purchased with money from a Perkins Grant and from the nursing department, and joins one other high fidelity simulator.

“The simulators work a little differently, so students can have different types of experiences,” said Measom. “We also have three other simulators that do not have the capabilities of the high fidelity ones.”

UVU’s Nursing Department is the only program in Utah, either academic or hospital, with an iStan simulator. To learn more about the iStan, visit www.meti.com/products_ps_istan