He talks, wheezes, and his heart beats - although not always in a healthy way. He breathes and has a blood pressure - or not. He may have diabetes one day, severe asthma the next, and then perfect health. "He" is SimMan, a full-body simulation mannequin, purchased by the Antelope Valley Hospital (AVH) "I Count" employee contributions to provide realistic training sessions for AVH clinical staff.

Often described as the $6 million dollar man, SimMan was purchased for the bargain price of a mere $26,000! Manufactured and sold by Laerdal, SimMan is a life-size simulation mannequin developed to improve the quality of patient care by providing realistic practice and critical decision-making experiences without risk. He's so life-like, AVH staff have renamed him "Sam."

Using a computer, education coordinators can create training scenarios that include information such as the person's medical condition, medications taken, allergies, and symptoms. The clinical staff attending the training can take his pulse, listen to his heart, or discover a blocked airway and perform intubation. Because there is a wide range of medical simulations that can be programmed, staff are exposed to and learn how to identify health abnormalities and clinical emergencies.

"We can program Sam's vital signs and create medical conditions to improve our clinical staff's competencies and increase their confidence-all without the fear of a fatal error," stated Ingrid Merrill, AVH education coordinator. "If a nurse gives the mannequin the wrong medication, or fails to insert an IV tube or catheter correctly, Sam will react exactly as someone would in real life."

SimMan, along with $31,000 of optional computer software and accessories, was purchased for the AVH education department with "I Count" funds contributed by hospital employees. "I Count" is a program where employees choose to make a difference through elective payroll contributions and has been in existence since 1984. The "I Count" funds are spent on the "Greatest Need" of the hospital that is not included in the budget. The "Greatest Need" focuses on the enhancement of patient care and to support efforts to ensure AVH patients receive quality service with care, compassion and respect.

"We are committed to improving our patient care quality and service," commented Edward Mirzabegian, AVH chief executive officer. "SimMan will be an important training tool to increase our employees' skills and knowledge, thereby reducing the occurrence of medical errors."

Antelope Valley Hospital employees celebrated the purchase of SimMan at an "I Count" ice cream social on Friday, August 17. During the celebration, AVH employeeshad the opportunity to view a demonstration of SimMan's capabilities during clinical simulation scenarios.