Hands-on experience key for student nurses
By Lethbridge Herald on May 20, 2025.
SHC Coordinator and RN Lisa Johnson demonstrates how their hyper realistic manikin works.Joe Manio
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
National Nurses Week wrapped-up on May 18, after honouring the contributions of nurses and recognizing their vital role in healthcare.
The theme of this year was “The Power of Nurses to Transform Health.” Nursing care has evolved with technological advances in simulations, and the education and training of nurses has been transformed as a result.
The University of Lethbridge Simulation Health Centre (SHC) allows students to practise their nursing skills on hyper-realistic mannequins that respond much like an actual patient.
For example, the centre’s high-fidelity manikin has pupils that react to light, eyes that blink, heart and breath sounds, palpable pulses and the ability to sweat or bleed.
One of the learning experiences involves putting the mannequin into cardiac arrest.
“In this scenario, we run the students through what they might see in a hospital setting, with the code team coming in, providing chest compressions, administering the emergency medications and delivering the shocks through a simulated defibrillator, or LifePak, which allows the students to see and practice with similar equipment used in the actual clinical setting,” says Lisa Johnson, SHC co-ordinator.
When students practice CPR on the mannequin, instructors, via a laptop, can tell if the students are pushing hard enough and fast enough.
The real-time feedback and debriefing afterward help solidify their skills and knowledge, which students can then take forward in their clinical
practice.
“In these innovative learning environments, nursing students are not just participants; they are our future leaders in the nursing profession,” says Johnson.
Before graduation, nursing students need to develop a wide range of skills, including critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving abilities, as well as foundational clinical skills like medication management, patient assessment, and emergency care. They also need to learn teamwork, time management, and how to maintain patient safety and prevent infections.
“Nurses are incredibly valuable contributors to our health care system,” says Jon Doan, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
“Their expertise, their capacity for caring and delivering that one-on-one contact dealing with patients, dealing with family members…they really are the foundation of how we’re supporting peoples’ health in hospitals, out of hospitals and many places.
“And we’re always very proud of our nursing students, their accomplishments and what they go on to contribute to our health care system, and we’re always excited to meet our new students as well.”
Nurses face numerous challenges in their daily work, including long hours, changing schedules, and emotional involvement with patients and their families. Workforce shortages, high patient ratios, and the stress of managing multiple complex cases also contribute to nursing challenges. Additionally, nurses can face exposure to illnesses and chemicals, experience poor treatment from patients, and struggle to adapt to new technologies and electronic medical records.
In 2023, Alberta had approximately 38,900 registered nurses (RNs) working in the province. This figure includes those employed by Alberta Health Services (AHS), as well as those working in various other healthcare settings. Furthermore, the number of nurses registered with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) has shown a recent increase.
As of 2025, there are approximately 9,150 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in Alberta. LPNs are professional nurses who provide basic nursing care under the supervision of registered nurses, doctors, or other healthcare professionals.
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