Nursing department to hold mass casualty simulation on campus

By Alejandra Arreguin-

Students and faculty in the nursing department will take part in Tarleton’s first simulation exercise Sunday, Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The department is simulating what would happen in the 15 to 30 minutes after a tornado, with the understanding that hospitals would likely be overwhelmed with casualties and people who want to help if Stephenville was hit.

Hannah Martin, a nursing student at Tarleton State University, said, “I am really excited about this opportunity. We are going to be able to see a lot while participating such as different wounds, burns, injuries and unstable emotions. This experience will help our nursing career by giving us an opportunity to work with critical thinking, time management and assessment skills.”

The nursing program hopes to be part of Tarleton’s emergency response plan in the future.
Photo by Cameron Cook

Aside from providing an opportunity for nursing students to work in a disaster situation, Cheryl Hunter, a nursing simulation laboratory supervisor, mentioned that the nursing department wants to become a part of Tarleton’s emergency response plan.

“What we want to do is show that the nursing building could be utilized as an over flow for the hospital and that we can take care of injured patients here,” Hunter said.

Along with the great opportunity the students are going to get, nursing student Erika Brooke a said, “I think the mass casualty is a great advantage for our community to take action and know what to do if this did become a reality.”

The entire city of Stephenville will be involved in this event.

Along with emergency responders in town, other departments on campus such as the Psychology Department, the Police Department on campus, the Counseling Center, the Student Health Center and the Engineering Department are all invited to participate depending on the instructors.

The goal is to hold a mass casualty simulation every three years with a different focus each time. The rest of campus will be shut down that day.