Nursing students get virtual hospital

The Nursing Department at Queensborough Community College (QCC) has unveiled its new four-bed Virtual Hospital, complete with simulated patients that can talk.
The opening of the renovated laboratory space on the Bayside campus fell on National Student Nurses Day, Tuesday, May 8 and during National Nurses Week. It will allow more than 350 nursing students a year to hone their clinical practice skills.
Patient simulation technology systems create a virtual hospital environment using sophisticated software, video graphics and life-size mannequins that allow students and trained professionals to practice new procedures and respond to real-life patient scenarios.
The mannequins are the latest in educational technology. They imitate human physiological life signs and can be programmed to mimic a wide variety of clinical situations. “They even moan and groan,” said college spokesperson Samantha Thacker.
A $15,000 grant from The Roslyn Savings Foundation sponsored the first two mannequins to kick-off the project in February, 2006. The Verizon Foundation provided a boost with a grant of $12,000 last December.
In-kind contributions from North Shore Long Island Jewish/Forest Hills Hospital, New York Hospital Queens and SafeWay Lifts and other equipment purchased with grant funds rounded out the project.
Attending the opening along with Marian Conway from The Roslyn Savings Foundation and Bill Martin of The Verizon Foundation were Harriet Kupferberg, chair of the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives Fundraising Committee, representatives from local hospitals and Cheryle Levine (Class of 1975), president of the Alumni Association.
After introductions by QCC President Eduardo J. Mart’ and Maureen Wallace, RN, chair of the Nursing Department, the assembled guests watched demonstrations given by nursing students and faculty.
The Virtual Hospital, on the third floor of the Medical Arts Building enables students to refine their language and clinical skills and gain experience and confidence before they encounter real patients in clinical settings. “This is crucial to their success.” Wallace said.
At the forefront of nursing education since 1967, QCC has one of the largest clinical nursing programs in the New York Metropolitan area. The school is the main educator of registered nurses in Queens.
Each year, a high percentage of recently graduated students pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. By the end of the first quarter of 2007, 96.6% of QCC nursing graduates had passed the NCLEX.