News and Updates

SGSC hosts open house for nursing simulation lab

South Georgia State College held an open house for the College’s new simulation nursing lab on Monday, June 2. The open house featured SGSC’s new high-tech, high-fidelity learning simulators – the Laerdal SimMom and the Laerdal SimJunior. The SimMom is an advanced, full-body birthing simulator with accurate anatomy and functionality to facilitate obstetric training of delivery management. Since registered nurses need the same level of confidence and experience in treating children that they have for treating adults. The SimJunior provides realistic pediatric training to build confidence and prepare health providers for the complex and diverse clinical situations that pediatric patients experience.

Simulation utilizes computerized mannequins to replicate real patient scenarios for nursing students to practice assessment, communication, and procedure skills with instant feedback in a controlled environment. A computer-controlled simulator is used to create a customized situation/scenario mimicking real patient care. The mannequins come with many features such as the ability to talk, breathe, heart and lung sounds, and pulses throughout the body. The blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygenation can all be manipulated. Adding wounds, chest tubes, IV lines, and intubation tubes can also be done. In addition, simulators help teach students how to handle emergencies including cardiac arrest, allergic reactions, seizures, and hemorrhage. The simulation experience is digitally recorded, allowing for a debriefing or reflection of the performance.

“The new simulation lab gives our students the opportunity to learn how to handle a variety of situations in a safe environment and develop critical thinking and decision skills required in our profession. As a result, our students receive a quality education and are better prepared for success in the nursing field,” said Dr. Scott Thigpen, dean and professor of nursing in SGSC’s School of Nursing.

SGSC nursing faculty members Bobby Jean Musgrove, Cheryl Solomon, Kasey Strickland, and Lisa Batten provided simulation demonstrations for guests of the open house.

SGSC offers three professional career tracks in order to meet students’ academic needs. The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program prepares nursing graduates to take the National Council of Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which qualifies the graduates to become registered nurses. The curriculum provides students with basic knowledge of nursing theory and practice and enhances the critical thinking skills of nursing graduates to meet the demands of today's complex healthcare environment. The ASN program was established in 1968 and the first class of registered nurses graduated in 1970.

In 1988, the LPN-RN Career Mobility Program was established in order to assist LPNs in obtaining their Associate of Science in Nursing degree (RN). In 2013, the RN-BSN Completion Program was established. In May 2014, SGSC conferred its first ever Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees with twenty-four graduating and completing degrees.

To learn more about the simulation lab or the School of Nursing, please visit www.sgsc.edu

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TOP PHOTO: (L-R): Mayor of Douglas James Dennis, SGSC President Dr. Virginia Carson, SGC Foundation President Barry Bloom, and SGSC Dean of Nursing Dr. Scott Thigpen.

BOTTOM PHOTO: SGSC nursing faculty, students, and community leaders attended the nursing simulation lab open house June 2 on SGSC’s Douglas Campus.  (L-R): SGSC Assistant Professor of Nursing Cheryl Soloman, Mayor of Douglas James Dennis, Douglas City Manager Terrell Jacobs, SGSC BSN student Betty Smith, SGC Foundation President Barry Bloom, SGSC Dean of Nursing Dr. Scott Thigpen, SGSC Assistant Professor of Nursing Bobby Jean Musgrove.