JHUSON adds Harvey the Cardiopulmonary Simulator to simulation education

It's official: Harvey the Cardiopulmonary Simulator checked in for an extended stay at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) last month. Harvey is the latest addition to the School's upgraded simulation laboratories and the newest member of the "Sim Fam." These life-like practice manikins, including Sim Man, Vital Sim Man,Noelle with newborn, and Sim Baby give nursing students the hands-on experience without the anxiety of working with actual human beings.

For almost 40 years Harvey, developed in cooperation between Laerdal Medical Corporation and Miami University Miller School of Medicine, has been a proven simulation system teaching bedside cardiac assessment skills that transfer to real patients, and remains the longest continuous university-based simulation project in medical education. "The addition of Harvey adds the next level in simulation education," said faculty coordinator for the JHUSON simulation and nursing practice laboratories Dianne Aschenbrenner MS, RN. "Now our undergraduate and graduate nurse practitioner students can assess a wide range of cardiac conditions, from the simplistic to the complex."

Harvey realistically simulates nearly any cardiac disease at the touch of a button varying blood pressure, pulses, heart sounds and murmurs. The software installed in the simulator allows users to track history, bedside findings, lab data, medical and surgical treatment.

Sim Man and Vital Sim Man were the first "patients" to join the JHUSON in 2004, with a Vital Sim Child added in 2005, and an additional Sim Man added in 2008. Sim Man, Vital Sim Man , and Vital Sim Child can be used to assess blood pressure and radial, carotid, and femoral pulse readings, as well as basic heart, respiratory, and abdominal sounds. Sim Man also has more advanced features which allow his use in role playing scenarios. Speakers in Sim Man allow the patient to "talk" to students . Care during emergency situations can be practiced as Sim Man can also be used in CPR practice, defibrillated, and, intubated. In 2005, Sim Baby was introduced to the School and performs many of the same functions as Sim Man. Noelle with newborn is a "pregnant" manikin received in 2006 and is used to practice Leopold maneuvers, normal vaginal and instrumented delivery, breech delivery, C-section, and postpartum hemorrhaging, among other functions.