SimMan Regional Technology Laboratory Funding Approved
A grant from the Health Care Division of the Duke Endowment has provided funds to establish a regional simulation technology laboratory for nursing and allied health education to be housed at A-B Tech's Enka Site.
The Mission Healthcare Foundation, in conjunction with area hospitals, regional colleges and area health education networks, submitted a proposal for the program to help provide a learning continuum for developing critical thinking skills in a practice environment.
The trustees of the Duke Endowment approved $395,760 for 2005-06.
A permanent laboratory at the Western Carolina University nursing education facility located on our Enka Site will be used for the education of undergraduate and graduate nursing students, regional hospital staff nurses, emergency medical personnel, air ambulance helicopter nurses and public safety personnel, including firefighters, police and sheriff deputies.
Lab sessions will feature challenging case scenarios with simulated disease managed care for basic and advanced clinical technical skills preparation using seven SimMen, a universal patient simulator, and one SimBaby.
These manikins manufactured by Laerdal Medical Technology provide simulation education to challenge and test students' clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient care scenarios. SimMan's airway system allows highly realistic simulation of all relevant difficult airway management and patient care situations.
SimMan also allows realistic practice of chest tube insertion, and features an ECG library of over 2,500 cardiac rhythm variants for cardiac monitoring, defibrillation and external pacing. It also has an IV training arm for peripheral intravenous therapy.
During the lab's first year, all nursing faculty will be trained in the use of the simulation lab and interactive patient simulators. This will include on-site training at Laerdal in Texas for 10 nursing educators. The lab will be in use by students by the second year.
Board Of Trustees Members Reappointed
Four members of A-B Tech's Board of Trustees have been reappointed to four-year terms.
William A. Hart Jr. has been reappointed by Gov. Michael F. Easley. Hart has been a member of the A-B Tech Board of Trustees since 1993. He retired in 2004 as the director of member services at Western Carolina Industries.
Dr. Joe B. Roberson, trustee since 1972, was reappointed by the Asheville City and Buncombe County Boards of Education. Roberson is an Asheville dentist.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners reappointed Commissioner Carol Peterson, while the Madison County Commissioners reappointed Robert L. Edwards, retired superintendent of Madison County Schools.
Phi Beta Lambda Gathers Awards At National Conference in Florida
A-B Tech's PBL celebrates after an outstanding showing at the national conference in Orlando, FL. Standing in back (L-R) are PBL members Glenda Pulley, Twanna Brown, Kathy Woods, Dana Huskins, Amber Beckett, Alegera Wilkerson and Jane McMahan. In the front row are Nicholas Case, Mike Smith, Adviser Kathy Toler, Mike Fann and Josiah Hyatt.
A-B Tech earned more first-place awards than any other college in the country during the Phi Beta Lambda national leadership conference June 28-July 2 in Orlando, FL.
A-B Tech's awards represent 10 percent of all the first-place awards given at the conference. Two- and four-year colleges and universities across the United States participate in the competition.
The competition is part of a competitive events program sponsored annually by FBLA-PBL, an association for students pursuing business and business-related careers. Individuals, local chapters, and state teams compete in over 40 events representing a range of leading-edge business, career, and leadership development activities.
Students Amber Beckett, Michael Fann and Jane McMahan won first place in Business Decision Making, while the team of Beckett, Fann and Dana Huskins took first place in the Community Service Project division. Huskins also won first place for Computer Concepts.
In Business Decision Making, the team of three completed a comprehensive test on business, management, marketing, economics, finance, human resource management, ethics, legal issues and taxation. The ten teams scoring the highest advance to the finals, which consist of a case study with the decision presented and defended before a panel of judges.
For the Community Service and Partnership events, students had to complete a project, write a 30-page report, and give two oral presentations with visuals.
Alegera Wilkerson placed first in Java Programming, and Kathy Woods was second in Computer Applications. Nicholas Case, Jane McMahan and Woods received second place in the Partnership with Business Project for "Dickens in the Village."
Five students were also honored as 2005 Institute for Leaders graduates. They were Case, Wilkerson, McMahan, Josiah Hyatt and Michael Smith. Woods was recognized for Career and Membership Achievement Program President Level.
In the past 18 years, A-B Tech's PBL has won 144 national academic awards, including 19 first-place awards.
PBL Adviser Kathy Toler, instructor of Business Administration, was given a 25-Year Award for her years of service. The chapter received the Gold Seal Award of Merit.