Mid-Michigan Medical Center Simulation Training

Today Mid–Michigan medical center conducted educational run–throughs of mock codes to better prepare their staff for real life circumstances.

A voice announced a mock code blue over the hospital’s PA, and nurses rushed to the scene as if a patient were coding. As the practitioner gave commands to make the dummy sick, the team vocalized what they would do and actually got to work on saving Hal, the practice dummyHal, used for simulating patient emergencies, is a tool that Mid–Michigan health brought to the table when they first began their partnership with Alpena Regional Medical Center a year ago.

Director of Organizational Development and Training at Mid-Michigan, Jason Sheffer, says these educational run–throughs are part of the staff’s commitment to improving patient care. While tools like Hal are often found exclusively in universities and schools, Sheffer says this patient is for everyone to practice on. By lending the costly tool to the community, he says it can better prepare members like a football coach, for an emergency that might unfold right on the football field.

With more community members trained for real life emergencies, Sheffer says the cost of the practice dummy is well worth it.