SCRIPT

 I do a High School Healthcare Intro twice a year.  I use Sam and we carry on a conversation with each other and no one else around.  He starts out snoring loudly as I invite them in and have them find a seat.  Usually they are in groups of 4 - 6.  They all laugh and I say Sam's having a little nap.  I start to talk and casually reach down and check Sam's pulse.  He then says 'Hello' and I answer back.  I put his glasses on (with eyes taped to the inside) and he then says 'Who are all these people?'  I answer and it goes from there.  I talk about Simulation and that all of us have used it since we were young (dolls, trucks etc) and ask what other types of fields use Simulation.  NASA, Military, Accident Recreation, Movies, the list goes on and on and the kids can really come up with some good ones. 

I explain about the monitor (very basic) and other things they might be interested in.

Sam butts in (after another pulse check) and wants to know why they care about all of that and I say that they might be interested in working somewhere in the Healthcare field, A nurse like me or an X-Ray tech, maybe lab tech and working with blood...  Sam says something about not liking blood and not feeling well.  In fact he thinks he might throw up!  This is a favorite sound bite of everyone.  The monitor is showing more PVC's and his BP is down.  I grab a emesis bag and he vomits.  I have some colored oatmeal or whatever in the bag and let that drop, everyone reacts.  I do an assessment and ask if they want to listen while I figure out what is going on and they come up and start in listening to lungs etc. 

I do tell them that Sam can be male, female or gender neutral.  At which time he says 'You mean I can talk like a girl?'  I say sure and go ahead and try it.  "Woo Hoo, just listen to me!"  He or she then sings Girls just want to have fun (only a line or two) and the lady monster goes away.  Of course there is more to it but this is an example.

This program is a lot of fun and only takes about 15 minutes to do. It is done with timing and pulse checks to move the scenario along.

I do find that it would be important for your instructors to know that SimMan can be intubated, trached, have a chest tube placed, needle decompression, foley placed, etc. 

All of this is on the Laerdal website and you could download the brouchure for them.

Dani Phillips

Samaritan Health Services, USA

dphillip@samhealth.org