Realistic simulations help students perfect their healthcare skills
Simulation equipment prepares students for the real world
Students in the Inver Hills Community College Nursing Program are learning their skills with the help of advanced simulation (sim) technology. The equipment is worn by fellow students or faculty to provide human-centered learning in a more realistic environment.
Nursing faculty Alicia Waits portrays a mother giving birth while receiving care from Inver Hills nursing students.
An instructor observes from behind a mirrored wall and guides each simulation in real time. The person portraying the patient wears a wrist device that cues responses and receives prompts through the wearable technology. In a birth sim, for example, the patient will know when to portray a contraction and other clinical changes as the scenario unfolds.
Using an actual human in the patient role allows students to practice communication, empathy and bedside interaction in ways that a medical manikin cannot provide. The wearable technology goes even further in adding another layer of realism by replicating key maternal and infant anatomy, creating a more immersive and lifelike learning experience for future nurses.
“This is a place to make mistakes and learn from them,” said instructor Sophie Hajder. Each sim typically runs 30-45 minutes, followed by a debrief where instructors and students reflect on what went well, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen clinical judgment for future practice.
Leveraging technology to prepare students for health careers
Students in nursing and other health programs, including the Emergency Medical Services and Paramedic programs, also have access to a virtual reality lab that supports immersive and team-based learning. This technology allows students to participate in shared simulation experiences even when they are in different spaces or locations, including ten miles away at Dakota County Technical College.
“The equipment is part of a larger vision for building a standardized patient program,” said Inver Hills and DCTC president Michael Berndt. “A strong pool of standardized patients will help create realistic encounters that closely mirror actual patient care.”
Simulating a mass casualty
Theatre students move into place for a mass casualty simulation, held December 25, 2025 on the Inver Hills campus. Another mass casualty simulation will take place on May 6, 2026.
On May 6, 2026, Inver Hills and DCTC students will participate in an inter-professional mass casualty simulation activity. The exercise will bring together students from healthcare, criminal justice, social work, communications, and theatre, with theatre students portraying patients to enhance realism.
Simulations are held once each semester and also involve professionals from partner healthcare facilities and hospitals.
These large-scale simulations are designed to strengthen inter-professional teamwork, communication, and coordinated response in realistic emergency situations. Activities on May 6 will take place in Fine Arts, the Science Building, and the path in between. Those not participating should watch for signage and avoid the area during the event.
“Faculty and students have embraced these new learning experiences and the innovative technology with such energy, openness, and professionalism,” said JT Bealka, Academic Dean of Healthcare.
“What we are building is much bigger than a new set of tools. It is a broader vision for inter-professional healthcare simulation that strengthens learning, deepens skills training, and better prepares students for the realities of today’s healthcare workforce. This work reflects the creativity, commitment, and forward-thinking spirit of our college community, and it is exciting to see that vision already taking shape in such meaningful ways.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar sees sim in action
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who helped obtain the Congressionally Directed Spending that helped purchase the simulation equipment, visited campus on April 24, 2026. Klobuchar watched a birth simulation used to train Inver Hills Nursing students.
Sen. Klobuchar said she was excited to see a demonstration of the equipment that is helping train the next generation of Minnesota health care workers and connecting them to jobs.
Inver Hills Nursing students and instructors pose with Sen. Klobuchar following a demonstration of a medical simulation. L—R back row: Simulation instructor Sophie Hajder, student Phillip Yang, Sen. Klobuchar, student Denise Ford, student Jacquelyn Larsen and simulation instructor Diana Mancino. Front L-R: Nursing and simulation instructor Alicia Waits, and nursing student Evelyn Kirchert.
