RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) The pandemic has hit nursing schools as hard as it has many other businesses.
But at a time when nurses are in extremely high demand, the mission to train new healthcare workers is more important than ever.
That s why East Coast Polytechnic Institute has come up with a way to enhance learning as nursing students wait for training at hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes during the pandemic.
It s called eHospital, and while it s not the same as hands-on experience with patients, ECPI says it has made the simulator as realistic as possible.
According to Jessica Hannah, who is studying at ECPI to become a licensed practical nurse, It s a lot easier for nursing students to learn the importance of what they re doing without actually putting someone in danger.
By Mary Katherine Wildeman
mkwildeman@postandcourier.com
Once inside the virtual hospital, students can practice myriad different health care tasks, including everything from taking vital signs to life-support techniques.
The simulation s creation was spurred by the pandemic, said Ruth Henderson, simulation lab coordinator at ECPI s North Charleston campus.Â
When classes shifted online, officials at East Coast Polytechnic Institute knew students would receive less time receiving critical in-person learning opportunities.Â
The eHospital is broken up into six different parts, including triage, the emergency room, operating room and a medical laboratory.
All of the patients in the simulation have realistic avatars and personal backstories, much like they would in a video game.Â