MCN Simulation Lab proceeds with caution while following safety protocols

  • Author By Nick Erickson
  • November 5, 2020

There have been quite a few changes this semester to policies and procedures at the Mennonite College of Nursing’s (MCN) Simulation Lab.

As soon as students enter the front door of the Sim Lab they come to a table in the entryway where they have to take their own temperature with a digital thermometer, then they sanitize the thermometer with a wipe, next they change from a personal mask to a supplied surgical mask, and then they sanitize their hands before entering the building.  They put on their goggles and gloves when they are within 6 feet of each other in labs and simulation.  They also complete an app where they verify that they don’t have a temperature over 100 degrees and are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 each time they enter the lab.  There are student workers who monitor the door during times when students are entering to ensure that these requirements for entering the building are being completed. 

Timers are provided to faculty so that students who need to be within close proximity of each other to complete an assessment or skill are reminded to only be within 6 feet for no more than 15 minutes. While the section size in the skills and health assessment labs have remained the same, they have decreased the amount of simulation by half so only eight students at time are in the simulation hospital.  Skills labs also expand into unoccupied classrooms whenever possible to increase physical distancing of students. All theory classes are being taught on-line whenever possible.

Student looks at tube
From left, Madison McCunn, Kenneth Wiltse, Gianna Raimondi, and Jessica Kroeger practice measuring liquid medications with syringes.
Students get lectured in MCN nursing lab
Joanna Willett teaches a class about nursing documentation and anatomical landmarks for a health assessment lab at the Nursing Simulation Lab. During this lecture, half of her class of eight students were quarantined and were joining class via Zoom.
Students work on an experiment
From right, Kenny Wiltse, Madison McCunn, Riley Naselli, and Kim Poling practice crushing medication and cutting pills.
Students work in a nursing room simulation
From left , Knox Jackson, Laney Flynn, Amanda Healy, and Alyson Scanlon work to revive a patient in the emergency room, providing CPR, medication, and shocking the patient, as part of a simulation in the Adult 3 class.
Male student works on fake patient
Caleb Miesner started an IV for a patient and is now flushing the attached tubing.
Professor demonstrates placing an IV to her students.
Dr. Theresa Adelman-Mullally teaches her class how to program a patient controlled analgesia pump and administer IV fluids to a patient.
Students learn how to program a patient controlled analgesia pump
From left, RN Facilitator Scott Schafer, an alumnus and Carle BroMenn emergency room nurse, teaches Angelica Rodriguez and Shannon Rocke how to program a patient controlled analgesia pump.
Female student works on a practice patient
Nicole Juskus attempts to diagnose a patient in the Simulation Lab.
Three people talking
From right, RN Facilitator Abby Mustread ’19, an alumna and current FNP grad student, teaches Lexie Budnick, center, and Sydney Davis how to prime the lines on a patient controlled analgesia pump.

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Mennonite College of Nursing