At Mennonite College of Nursing, students practice and perfect their nursing skills in two different lab settings. The Health Assessment Labs are used by both undergraduate and graduate nurses. Undergraduate nursing students learn how to perform basic health assessments on class partners, while graduate students learn advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning. A wide array of anatomical models, medical equipment and supplies are available to support learning activities.

The Nursing Simulation Lab (NSL) is a state-of-the-art learning center where students come to develop the skills they will use in clinical practice. Students develop not only psychomotor skills, but participate in a variety of activities and scenarios that help strengthen critical thinking, decision making, delegation and team work. During the first semester, students work on still-life manikins to hone fundamental skills such as bed-making and medication administration. In the second semester, students continue to develop skills that are more complex and require greater critical thinking.

Our computerized manikins are very life-like, and are used in various scenarios to support skill development as well as critical thinking. Students spend time working through scenarios with SimMan throughout the curriculum at MCN. These scenarios are designed to help students understand the complexity of the whole patient, assimilate necessary information to make nursing decisions related to care delivery, and perform in an environment where they are fully responsible for care decisions and the outcomes of those decisions. It is a challenging and stimulating environment that encourages them to think and act quickly, and allows them to make and learn from mistakes they would not be allowed to make in a true patient care setting.

Philosophy

We believe learning is a life-long process. In the NSL, students engage in active learning experiences that enable them to be self-directed learners. A solid grounding in the underlying scientific principles of technical skills helps students translate learning from the lab to a variety of clinical settings. The NSL staff facilitates this learning process. We also believe learning should be fun! We work hard to make the lab a non-threatening environment where students feel safe to learn, yet are challenged to continually grow and improve their performance.

Self-Guided Learning Modules

Self-guided learning modules are the basis for lab experiences. The modules provide students with specific objectives, learning activities, practice guidelines and competency information that helps them prepare for their assigned lab days. Students are expected to complete the preparatory work prior to their lab days and come ready to practice and demonstrate their ability to successfully and safely complete each required skill.

BabySIM

BabySIM is a newly-developed simulation of a three- to six-month-old infant who provides our nursing students with state-of-the-art clinical learning opportunities in a safe, no-risk environment. Students experience the joys and challenges of providing care to a real baby; a baby that cries real tears, has a heart that beats, and has blood pressures we can feel. Students use assessments along with their training to keep BabySIM in good health and work through simulated health care challenges. Mennonite College of Nursing will be one of the few nursing programs in the state of Illinois to acquire the $50,000 BabySIM.

Nursing Lab Staff

Jenn Mool RN, BSN
CSL Coordinator

Nursing Simulation Lab 105C
(309) 438-7844

Springl 2012
Graduate Assistants (GA)
Julie G.
Kirsten C.
Kristen N.

Lab Assistants (LA)
Caitlin B.
Laine B.
Courtney F.
Erin H.
Kellie J.
Mallory J.
Lindsay J.
Emily L.
Kevin L.
Ashley P.
Lisa P.
Sarah P.
Summer Q.

mcninfo-l@ilstu.edu

Mennonite College of Nursing
Campus Box 5810 Normal, Il 61790-5810
Phone: (309)438-7400