ACC Receives $50,000 Grant for Human Patient Simulator

Above is a publicity shot from the METI Corporation of the Human Patient Simulator being worked on by British medical personnel.

(November 2, 2007 Littleton, Colo.) The Arapahoe Community College Foundation has received a $50,000 grant from Caring for Colorado Foundation to acquire a Human Patient Simulator from Medical Education Technologies, Inc. (METI). The simulator, which ACC's Nursing and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) programs will share, is considered the "gold standard" in emergency care simulation. The simulator is an anatomically correct mannequin which is programmed to physically demonstrate a wide range of conditions, and realistically respond to treatment procedures. This will allow students to see the effect of treatment without doing harm to real patients. The simulator is also being funded via student fees paid by those in each program and an ACC Foundation nursing program endowment that Charles Manis of Montrose (fomerly of Littleton) established in the name of his wife Karol H. Manis.

Caring for Colorado is a non-profit foundation charged with serving the health care needs of the citizens of Colorado by providing funding for projects that address community health issues. It is endowed with the proceeds of the 1999 sale of Blue-Cross Blue-Shield of Colorado to Anthem Insurance.

The Human Patient Simulator is capable of executing a wide array of simulated clinical experiences. These simulations enable future nurses and emergency medical responders to build their competencies. For instance, the Human Patient Simulator is capable of realistically exhibiting the symptoms of medical crises such as: respiratory arrest, heart attacks, tachycardia, anaphylactic reactions, asthma, chronic heat failure, diabetic keto-acidosis, gastrointestinal bleeding and many more.

"This self contained wireless unit will enable us to give our students experience with critical situations that they do not always come across during the clinical-assignment phase of their training," explains Dr. Susan Scheuring, Program Director of ACC's Nursing Program.

ACC anticipates delivery of the Simulator in February of 2008. ACC's Corporate Learning Division is arranging an onsite faculty training from METI. This training will ensure the faculty of the Nursing and EMS programs will be equipped to educate students effectively with the simulator. For more information about ACC's Nursing and EMS programs, visit www.arapahoe.edu, click on "Departments and Programs" then click on "Nursing Program."

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