Today, almost every health occupational student experiences and learns in a variety of ways in one or more simulation labs. These labs are often equipped with various levels of hands-on experience that serve to bridge the increasing gaps between theory and clinical experience. Beginning students may learn the most basic fundamental skills from inserting a foley catheter, giving an injection, reconstituting a simulated antibiotic, to more advanced skills such as cardio version, monitoring pulmonary artery pressures, or CPR.

Fifteen years ago it took little ingenuity to find the perfect patients to teach our students everything they needed to know. We relied on real drugs to practice medication administration. Our first injection was on each other or on our first patient. The first nasogastric tube insertion was most likely performed on one of our colleagues. Today, injection techniques are learned first in the nursing skills lab with a variety of realistic practical products that help teach injection skills. The hope is that the more realistic and life-like the model is, the more likely the student will transfer the skill directly to the bedside. We expect our students to develop those unique critical thinking skills in combination with mastering psychomotor skills in a safe but simulated clinical environment.

Current challenges among curriculums nationwide are finding life-like clinical experiences that can be practiced in a non-clinical or laboratory setting. It is the goal and responsibility of all educators to design those practical experiences that master skill competency and demand critical thinking. We must ask ourselves: How can we respond to the unique learning needs of today’s millennial student who is impatient with unrealistic learning models that fail to include simulation and technology?

We are working to fund, design, and create the most state-of-the-art learning forums and medical simulation labs, with the most relevant practice products available. As a woman educator, the Wallcur Practi-Product™ line for skills lab training and simulation has been my life-long passion and commitment to student education. It is a belief that we as educators make the difference in a health care delivery system that is today, second to none. Through our combined efforts, and consistent goals we pass our knowledge, skills, and loyalty to the individual development of our future expert and self-confident practitioners.

At the end of the day, educators make it real.

Laurie D. Munday BSN, MN
President