UT Arlington launches mobile simulation lab with high-tech mannequins to bolster rural healthcare training

ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington is launching a new mobile simulation lab to provide better training for rural healthcare workers. 

UTA says there is a severe shortage of trained healthcare professionals in many of the 172 rural counties in Texas. 

The mobile simulation lab will provide the same high-tech training that students at the Arlington campus receive to those enrolled online in rural communities.

What we know:

The university has officially launched its mobile simulation lab that features two simulation bays and three high-tech mannequins that can have realistic injuries. One of them even simulates childbirth and other obstetric emergencies.

The mannequins can also respond to questions from nurses.

"He blinks. He can have tears. His eyes, we can change his pupil size," explained UT Arlington Nursing Professor Jill Whitfill. "Because he has a head injury, he can have one pupil that is larger than the other."

The lab dedicated to training healthcare workers in rural parts of Texas is the first of its kind. 

UTA’s online students will receive instruction through partner hospitals across the state.

What they're saying:

Jenny Roye, Assistant Dean of Simulation and Technology at UTA's College of Nursing, says the goal is for rural students to be able to continue to work in their own communities. 

"Their area has a lot of rural communities that can have a shortage of nurses. We want to be able to train nurses in rural communities so they will stay in those rural communities. Recruitment into rural areas is sometimes difficult," she said.

Nursing student Caroline King says the training has built both her competence and confidence. 

"The attention to detail, how closely they resemble a real patient. You can listen to lung sounds and feel a heartbeat on the wrist. They can react to you shining a light in their eyes. They dilate. It’s as close to a real patient as possible."

King is from Wichita Falls. She hopes to be among the healthcare professionals who can fill the gap in a nearby rural community. 

"Why not go back and give to the community that raised me," she said.

Dig deeper:

The simulation lab also has cameras with a 360-degree view and microphones. That way, students can review what they did right and areas where they need to improve.