SON students participate in emergency/disaster simulation
VCU School of Nursing students recently participated in a Richmond Emergency Disaster Preparedness Simulation during their Community Health Nursing class. Mary Kay Goldschmidt, DNP, RN, APHN-BC, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, led this first simulation event with 86 students participating. The purpose of the simulation was to prepare graduates for their role in the community when disaster strikes.
During the simulation, each student was assigned a scripted role within their community, city government or the American Red Cross. The “community leaders” learned each other’s roles and discussed how to manage their critical needs. Students playing the role of “residents” listened to breaking news on a hurricane that caused catastrophic damage to the Richmond area. Other activities included organizing the community’s response to the disaster, negotiating with community leaders for resources, and transporting injured residents to shelters. The American Red Cross and Medical Reserve Corps assisted the SON in conducting this emergency/disaster simulation.
“The VCU School of Nursing prepares students to function as registered nurses in the ‘real world.’ Our community health faculty created the simulation event for this purpose,” said Goldschmidt. “We wanted our students to experience a significant natural disaster from the community’s perspective, learn how city government and volunteer relief agencies function, and understand the tough decisions that must be made regarding allocation of limited resources.”
Richmond Emergency Disaster Preparedness Simulation
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Categories Education, Events, Faculty and Staff, Students