State of the art training mannequin talks and breathes

9 October 2012

State of the art training mannequin talks and breathes

An extremely life-like training mannequin has arrived at Tauranga Hospital.

SimJunior is a high-tech computer controlled mannequin that represents a real-life six year old child by simulating a wide range of health conditions. It can be programmed by a trainer to go from a healthy, talking youth to an unresponsive critical patient with no vital signs.

The arrival of SimJunior at Tauranga Hospital means that both new and experienced healthcare providers will be able to perform all the clinical and technical steps that are required when treating a real child, within the safety of a training environment.

“SimJunior has pre-recorded voice sounds and can respond with accurate vital signs to medical interventions,” said Jeremy Armishaw, Paediatrician at Tauranga Hospital. “This means we can practice all aspects of intensive paediatric care and resuscitation on a life like mannequin, for example airway management, severe asthma, seizures and cardiac arrest.”

SimJunior is the first high-tech mannequin owned by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board. “We have a collection of static mannequins for training,” said Sarah Strong, Clinical School Manager, “However none are as realistic or sophisticated as SimJunior. It brings comprehensive, hands-on training that will ensure that we’re providing the best in care for our patients”.

SimJunior with equipment, training scenarios and insurance is valued at $54,623. Tauranga Hospital’s SimJunior was funded by the Tauranga Community Health Trust.

The Bay of Plenty Clinical School is seeking further funding and sponsorship to create a ‘SimFamily’, which will involve purchasing a collection of adult and infant-sized Sim training mannequins.

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