Tension hangs in the room as a 15-year-old patient lies motionless and unresponsive after a suspected drug overdose.
His blood pressure is dangerously low, his pupils are fixed and dilated, and the team is racing to stabilize him, clearing his airway, administering medication, preparing to inject adrenaline. Every second counts.
But this isn’t reality. This is an extremely dangerous simulation taking place in Redlands Hospital’s Emergency Department to push medical staff to their limits in preparation for a real-life scenario.
And just like the real thing, the team is taking this situation with the utmost seriousness.
The simulation is run by Sarah Vincenzi, clinical facilitator and SIM coordinator.
“These simulations reflect the intense pressures of a real emergency,” she said. “I set up, organize and operate the equipment for each weekly drill.”
“Each week the content is different. Sometimes we focus on a pediatric case, other times we focus on an adult patient with multiple organ failure. The goal is to align the simulation with the curriculum and learning objectives.”
The sessions will not only practice technical skills but also strengthen teamwork and communication.
Sarah said having a team of medical experts involved was key.
“We invite nursing staff to join us and allow observers to learn from the experience without feeling any pressure to participate. We allow everyone, from registrars to nurses, to experience the scenario as if it were unfolding in real time.”
She said the team navigated critical moments, intubating the patient, administering medication, getting him on IV fluids and preparing him for transport.
“A thorough and thoughtful explanation is always given to ensure participants feel comfortable in their environment, and there is always a debriefing period after the simulation.
“Recently, we ran a scenario of a sedation procedure, and the following week the nurses and doctors involved faced the same situation in real life.
“They felt prepared, they felt ready, and they handled it brilliantly.”
