Nursing students get realistic practice at new NYP centre

Nursing students get realistic practice at new NYP centre

SINGAPORE - Trainee nurses at the School of Health Sciences in Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) have been fussing over eight of the most sought-after men in school.

They monitor the vital signs of the blue-eyed, brown-haired boys, and when the time is right, pump their chests to ensure the heartthrobs' "survival".

Failure, thankfully, is acceptable.

The objects of the aspiring nurses' attention are high-fidelity mannequins that have simulated human pulses and are used to provide realistic training.

They are part of a new centre in the polytechnic which offers nursing students realistic learning through the latest technologies.

Launched on Wednesday by Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Amy Khor, the centre is a collaboration between the polytechnic and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a global non-profit in health-care information and management systems.

Called the NYP-HIMSS Centre of Excellence (Healthcare IT), it has a simulated intensive care unit and an in-patient ward.

IT systems such as electronic medical record systems already used in hospitals will also be installed.

This allows students hands-on experience with these technologies, a privilege usually not given to them in hospitals during attachments.

For instance, electronic medical record systems can be accessed only by registered nurses and not nursing students due to patient confidentiality.

"It's good that we are able to learn how to make use of these systems and get ourselves familiarised, so when we're back as registered nurses, we know what's going on," said second-year nursing student Khairunnisa Jumat, 28.

The centre will see its first batch of students next January, with some 2,500 students expected to benefit each year.

Said Ms Wong Luan Wah, director of nursing at the School of Health Sciences at NYP: "This way, we are able to train them to... offer competent and professional care to patients once they enter the health-care setting."

audreyt@sph.com.sg


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