THUNDER BAY — A new tool is being used by Lakehead University students in the nursing program, a digitized manikin.
Typically, mannequins are used for fashion or modelling purposes. But a medical manikin, is specifically for medical situations and scenarios.
This new high-tech equipment can be programmed to have all sorts of ailments for students to practice with. Specifically, fourth-year nursing students will use the manikin for their Code Blue labs.
"[It cost] $25,000 and was purchased thanks to donations from staff, students, alumni and more," student lab coordinator Caroline Sabotig said.
"We continue to purchase new technology for our program, new manikins, new equipment because we want our nurses to have the best state-of-the-art technology they possibly can to prepare them for clinical practice."
The previous high-tech medical manikin was bought in 2010 and is still used in labs for students.
Marian Aigbogun, a fourth-year student at LU, said that code blue situations can be scary, but the manikin lab is invaluable.
"I'm able to practice my compressions, practice to know the right speed and the right depth because there is a computer that I look at to see if I'm doing it right," Aigbogun said.
With the LED screens for eyes, a speaker embedded in the manikin and a chest cavity that can move to simulate various types of breathing, the investment in the new technology will provide students with real-time results on their patient care efforts, allowing educators to help students at the moment without putting human patients at risk before students are ready to work in the field.
