School of Health & Patient Simulation

Creating a Better Pathway to a Health Career

2010-01-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

Recently, STCC was awarded a Department of Labor grant in excess of 1.5 million dollars. The purpose of the three year grant is to create a better way to help potential health care workers decide if they want to enter health care and then to help them enter and survive an education program.

Over the years we have found that many people are unaware of the wide variety of health fields available, how to prepare for a program, and what it is really like to work in health care. In cooperation with Berkshire, Greenfield and Holyoke Community Colleges and the medical community, we are using the grant to develop better counseling and two hands-on experiences.

The new counseling gets health field information to potential students earlier and then provides follow up support all the way through graduation from a health program. Medical Encounters is a one day hands-on experience that gives high school students a dose of what it is like to work with patients. Students interview a patient and use that information to "diagnose" what disease state the patient may have. They also perform basic lab work and learn about the various health fields that would be used to diagnose and then treat the disease state. A full semester long college credit course - Introduction to Health Skills - provides an in depth hands-on experience with a variety of patients as well as exploration of health fields. Students in the skills course also become American Heart Association certified in CPR. Both experiences are provided by SIMS Medical Center, the Virtual Teaching Hospital @ STCC and Berkshire, Greenfield, and Holyoke Community College simulation centers.

The expected outcome is that a person who thinks they want to enter a health field, will be better informed, make appropriate decisions, get prepared to enter a program, enter the work force and STAY.

As the grant progresses, we will give you updates on how things are going. This is a very important grant that will have a positive impact on future heath care.

Appearance Matters

2009-08-17T04:42:00.000-07:00

Walk into any hospital and you will notice that everyone is wearing a uniform of some sort. Sometimes the uniform indicates the job of that person or location of work within that medical facility. The bottom line is that the uniform is there to let the public know that you, as a medical worker belong in that environment. The uniform supports public confidence and perhaps just as important, puts the health worker "in the health frame of mind."

A uniform policy also addresses health worker safety. Long nails, while appropriate outside of the medical environment, are known to be a health hazard to both the health worker and patient. Hoop ear rings, bracelets and necklaces can be grabbed by a disoriented patient and cause injury to the health worker. In one of my first jobs I wore a Medic Alert necklace. A patient reached up, grabbed that necklace and began twisting it around my neck. It took some doing to get the patient to release me from their grip.

Since the medical environment has dress and behavior policies, so does the School of Health & Patient Simulation. We do this to help our students prepare for medical work. To get into the habit of looking and feeling like a health worker. As an example, when a student enters SIMS Medical Center, the Virtual Teaching Hospital @ STCC, proper uniforms must be worn. The same is true for all on campus and off campus clinical experiences.

Take a look at your program handbook so you know the uniform policy. Becoming a health work is more than just academic....it is also about getting into the right frame of mind.

HCAR 130 - Introduction to Patient Care Skills

2009-07-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

This case based course has the student using the latest in full size patient simulation. Students learn vital signs, sterile techniques, handling of fluids, body mechanics, CPR, basic first aid, documentation, research techniques, professionalism, ethics, cultural diversity, and communication skills. While working with simulated patients in a realistic medical setting, students will explore a wide variety of job duties related to a career in health.

There are no pre-requisites for this 3 credit lecture and lab course.
Hands-on experience is provided through SIMS Medical Center, The Virtual Teaching Hospital of STCC.

To register call your advisor today or the Registrar's Office at 413-755-4321
Limited seating due to the hands on nature of the course.

Not sure a health career is for you?
Try HCAR - 110 Health Directions Seminar
Learn basic health concepts, study skills, and basic communication in the field of health. Emphasis is on career exploration and critical thinking.

SIMS Medical Center - The Virtual Teaching Hospital of STCC

2009-07-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

SIMS Medical Center is a nationally recognized patient simulation facility with an experienced faculty and staff dedicated to the exploration of patient simulation with the goal of improved patient care.

SIMS Medical Center (SMC) provides a state of the art educational environment where students and health care personnel obtain new skills and refine existing competencies. SMC has provided workshops for a wide variety of participants, from beginners to "train the trainers." SMC also provides elementary through high school students a chance to explore health careers.

An emphasis on interdisciplinary scenarios closely replicates the medical workforce environment of today. SMC includes a four bed Acute Care Unit, Trauma Room, Surgical Suite, Basic care Unit, and the two bed Berkshire Bank Critical Care Unit. Students get direct hands-on experience with patient simulators from Laerdal, METI, and Gaumard placed in realistic medical settings.

Something important....a career in health

2009-07-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

We need bright, determined and compassionate people to join us in meeting the health care needs of the future. There is a critical shortage in nursing and other health fields like Respiratory Therapy, Clinical Lab Science and Surgical Technology. You may not have heard about some of these fields since many people only know of doctors and nurses. The other 60% of the health care team is sometimes called "allied health" and is made up of over 100 different careers. They may not be well known to the public, but each contributes significantly to the care provided our patients. Take this opportunity to see if a career in health is right for you. Visit http://health.stcc.edu to explore the possibilities and put you in contact with people who want to help you do something important....a career in health.

-Dean Foss, School of Health