It’s said that being a nurse is part science and a large part art. No question, there’s plenty of in-depth medical knowledge and techniques to be learned, but putting those lessons into practice is where the great nurses shine. And, there’s an art to that.
Nursing can be all about hands-on care – feeding, dressing, washing patients, administering drugs and dressing wounds, providing pre- and post-op care, preparing and giving injections. Not to mention dealing with a multitude of emotional issues. Many of these duties previously were performed by doctors but, now, with the growing complexity of medicine amid rising healthcare demands, nurses have taken on a lot of these tasks.
So, how do you learn them and, more importantly, how do you perfect your skills so your patients always receive the best care possible? Clinicals and externships provide hands-on training, but many nurses also suggest doing volunteer work at hospitals where students are mentored by experienced nurses.
Using Simulation Technology to Gain Experience
To gain the confidence needed to treat real “live” patients, Fortis believes on-campus labs with simulation technology and medical mannequins can provide useful and rewarding interactive experiences. Medical mannequins, or patient simulators, can perform eye movements, exhibit chest movements, and breathing, and simulate a wide range of conditions. They provide students fully immersive practice with visual, auditory, and tactile learning experiences.
In fact, Fortis has received international recognition for their leadership in using simulation technology to educate nursing students. “Nursing simulation is an integral component of our classroom environment because it produces amazingly ‘real life’ situations in which students learn by doing,” says Dr. Robert Anders, Vice President of Nursing at Fortis.
Start Your Career at Fortis
If you’re considering a career in nursing and searching for a nursing school where you can learn your profession, you may want to check out Fortis. The Fortis network of nursing schools is among the largest nursing education providers in the U.S., having graduated more than 5,000 nursing students with over 20 nursing campuses in 10 states.
