In order to better prepare future paramedics for real-life situations, some schools are incorporating hands-on experiences into these healthcare programs' curricula.
A new ambulance simulator has been built on Broome Community College's campus, which will benefit students enrolled in the New York-based school's Southern Tier Paramedic Program. A $24,650 grant given by the Ahearn Foundation allowed the school to construct the simulator, according to PressConnects.com.
The simulator includes several pieces of medial equipment, including a heart monitor, suction canister, oxygen tank port and walkie-talkies. Students also learn how to load and unload patients from the ambulance, providing them with a better understanding of how much time is needed to safely transport these individuals, the news source reports.
"All paramedics do a good amount of clinical time and the simulator will allow them to prepare," said Dave Taggart, director of the school's paramedics program. He added that "students get to practice moving equipment and patients, and demonstrating the care they'd give en route to the hospital."
During the next eight years, the employment of emergency medical technicians and paramedics is projected to increase by 9 percent, and will create approximately 19,000 new jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
