Helicopter Simulator Trains Critical-Care Transport Nurses
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 19 Jan 2015 |
Image: The Sikorsky S-76 ACNP helicopter simulator (Photo courtesy of Case Western Reserve University).
A high-tech simulator built in an actual helicopter creates the sense of treating critically injured patients from takeoff to landing.
Designed for training acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) specializing in flight nursing at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH, USA), the helicopter features advanced medical equipment, authentic aerial views projected within the windows, and a range of movements that mimics changing altitudes and weather conditions throughout the flight. The simulator will allow ACNP students to learn the challenges of caring for critically ill and injured patients under triage from remote locations and difficult terrain.
The simulator is made from a retired Sikorsky S-76 helicopter fuselage, and has a passenger space that provides room for five occupants: the patient, up to three student flight nurses, and an instructor. The simulator is an exact replica of what the students will eventually fly in while treating patients, including being subjected to the movement, noise, temperature, vibration, and altitude that can affect a patient’s vital signs and other health conditions. The health-care equipment is identical to that used in actual critical care transport helicopters. An article describing the design process was published in the September 2014 issue of Clinical Simulation in Nursing.
“High-fidelity simulation can be instrumental in training inter-professional flight teams to improve competency through quality and safe patient care during medical transport that may otherwise take years to learn because of the inconsistency in real-life experience,” concluded study authors Celeste Alfes, DNP, MSN, RN, and Christopher Manacci, DNP. “The goal is to provide quality nursing and medical instruction in a simulated flight center while also presenting relevant clinical experiences for biomedical engineering students.”
The fuselage is also equipped with mock laser rotors, developed by Case Western Reserve biomedical engineering majors, so that students and their patients can learn to safely enter and exit the helicopter. When not used to train students, the simulator will be used to train military personnel for pre-deployment, those in the air medical industry, and emergency medical services (EMS) first responders.
Related Links:
Case Western Reserve University
Designed for training acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) specializing in flight nursing at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH, USA), the helicopter features advanced medical equipment, authentic aerial views projected within the windows, and a range of movements that mimics changing altitudes and weather conditions throughout the flight. The simulator will allow ACNP students to learn the challenges of caring for critically ill and injured patients under triage from remote locations and difficult terrain.
The simulator is made from a retired Sikorsky S-76 helicopter fuselage, and has a passenger space that provides room for five occupants: the patient, up to three student flight nurses, and an instructor. The simulator is an exact replica of what the students will eventually fly in while treating patients, including being subjected to the movement, noise, temperature, vibration, and altitude that can affect a patient’s vital signs and other health conditions. The health-care equipment is identical to that used in actual critical care transport helicopters. An article describing the design process was published in the September 2014 issue of Clinical Simulation in Nursing.
“High-fidelity simulation can be instrumental in training inter-professional flight teams to improve competency through quality and safe patient care during medical transport that may otherwise take years to learn because of the inconsistency in real-life experience,” concluded study authors Celeste Alfes, DNP, MSN, RN, and Christopher Manacci, DNP. “The goal is to provide quality nursing and medical instruction in a simulated flight center while also presenting relevant clinical experiences for biomedical engineering students.”
The fuselage is also equipped with mock laser rotors, developed by Case Western Reserve biomedical engineering majors, so that students and their patients can learn to safely enter and exit the helicopter. When not used to train students, the simulator will be used to train military personnel for pre-deployment, those in the air medical industry, and emergency medical services (EMS) first responders.
Related Links:
Case Western Reserve University
Latest Critical Care News
- Powerful AI Risk Assessment Tool Predicts Outcomes in Heart Failure Patients
- Peptide-Based Hydrogels Repair Damaged Organs and Tissues On-The-Spot
- One-Hour Endoscopic Procedure Could Eliminate Need for Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes
- AI Can Prioritize Emergecny Department Patients Requiring Urgent Treatment
- AI to Improve Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation
- Stretchable Microneedles to Help In Accurate Tracking of Abnormalities and Identifying Rapid Treatment
- Machine Learning Tool Identifies Rare, Undiagnosed Immune Disorders from Patient EHRs
- On-Skin Wearable Bioelectronic Device Paves Way for Intelligent Implants
- First-Of-Its-Kind Dissolvable Stent to Improve Outcomes for Patients with Severe PAD
- AI Brain-Age Estimation Technology Uses EEG Scans to Screen for Degenerative Diseases
- Wheeze-Counting Wearable Device Monitors Patient's Breathing In Real Time
- Wearable Multiplex Biosensors Could Revolutionize COPD Management
- New Low-Energy Defibrillation Method Controls Cardiac Arrhythmias
- New Machine Learning Models Help Predict Heart Disease Risk in Women
- Deep-Learning Model Predicts Arrhythmia 30 Minutes before Onset
- Breakthrough Technology Combines Detection and Treatment of Nerve-Related Disorders in Single Procedure