INA, Ill. (Feb. 20, 2015) - Rend Lake College students in a variety of health care fields can now take advantage of the Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) Simulation and Learning Lab to practice real and possible life-or-death situations.
A new partnership between RLC, John A. Logan College (JALC), Southeastern Illinois College, and Shawnee Community College will allow all students in health care-related programs to utilize the Lab, located on the JALC campus in Carterville.
Kim Robert, RLC Dean of Allied Health, said the result of this partnership will be a great educational opportunity for RLC students.
“I think it’s a great prospect for Rend Lake College students and the community to be able to use. I look forward to working with them,†said Robert. “The Simulation and Learning Lab will definitely improve the learning opportunities for students in our nursing programs, as the programs and curriculum in the Lab revolve around the same information we teach our students. It’s an exceptional asset to be able to offer.â€
The Lab features multiple mannequins that simulate real-life medical emergencies, including crying, coughing, seizing, and many other afflictions patients in an intensive care unit or operating room may have. Programs will also allow students to simulate a number of scenarios wherein medication and complications arise, and the students will have the chance to interact with the mannequin much like with a patient in a hospital setting.
There will also be several classrooms where students can observe a lecture from local doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other health care professionals. According to information from SIH, each training and class will also be recorded for students to access them through an online video library.
As a system of three area hospitals in the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Herrin Hospital, and St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, SIH also uses the Simulation and Learning Lab as a space for trainings for current health care professionals in the area.
For more information about the Allied Health programs at RLC, call 618-437-5321, Ext. 1251.
