ACC students prepare for healthcare careers during emergency drill
Nurses struggle to hold down police suspect Garrick Alvarez on a gurney while a cardiovascular technician tries to get a reading on Alvarez’s heartbeat.
“Try and relax,” said the technician, Zack Gruetzner. “This is only going to take 10 seconds.”
After getting the reading, the nurses continue to care for Alvarez during an emergency simulation on Nov. 4 at the Alvin Community College Allied Health building. ACC students in nursing, healthcare technology and paramedics learned how to handle cases like gunshot victims, overdoses and seizing patient.
“We challenge students to use all the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired to critically assess a variety of situations and intervene appropriately,” said Susan Priest, ACC Associate Degree Nursing Instructor, who helped coordinate the drill. “Although it is an anxiety-producing situation for them, most students really like the experience.”
The scenarios included issues like equipment use, a crowded emergency room, communicating with other personnel and dealing with unruly patients and relatives. Many of the scenarios are very common in the medical field, ACC instructors told them.
The instructors stood watch over the simulation offering critiques and some assistance to the busy students. All of the simulations are designed to prepare the students for careers in the health field, Priest said.
Several ACC students participated in the drill from many programs including, Emergency Medical Technology, Associate Degree Nursing, Respiratory Care and Sonography.
For more information about the Health and Medical Programs at ACC call 281-756-3500 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
Photo 1: ACC students work to help revive Garrick Alvarez, center, of Alvin, during an emergency simulation at the ACC emergency room on Nov. 4. From left, ACC students Zack Gruetzner, of Pearland, Mary Lou Balderaz, of Alvin, Stacie Cox, of Alvin, Amanda Ghose, of Deer Park and Amanda Perkins, of Alvin.
Photo 2: ACC students tend to Toni Sloan, of Webster, who had a seizure as part of a simulation at the ACC emergency room on Nov. 4. From left Memorial Hermann Hospital employee Sam Miller, of Pearland, Danielle Ishup-Pipkins, of Houston, Jasmin McAlpine, of Pearland, Sloan and Sean Tedford of Santa Fe.