Learn by Doing with Simulators and Manikins

As president of Emergency Medical Consultants, Inc. and captain for Boca Raton Fire-Rescue in Palm Beach, FL, Shaun Fix, PMD, NREMT-P, recognizes that adults learn by doing. He relates that when adults are told how to do a certain task, they’ll remember about 10% of the procedure. If they see it, they can recall about 20%. “But if they hear how to do it, see how to do it, then practice how to do it, they’ll retain about 80%,” he says.

Medical procedure training manikins and simulators are an important part of Fix’s “learn by doing” approach. And Nasco Life/Form CPR manikins and Airway Management Trainers are his trainers of choice. Fix utilizes eight infant, six child and 18 adult Airway Management Trainers, including several advanced “Airway Larry” trainers that give him the ability to create various scenarios for patient evaluations. CPaRlene manikins for CPR training are also included in his inventory.

“A lot of our training involves advanced procedures,” he says. “We’ve been using Nasco products for about 15 years, and we appreciate their mobility, flexibility and affordability.”

The trainers are very lightweight and highly mobile, he notes. “That’s important because a lot of what we do requires that we take them on the road,” he says. “One whole Nasco manikin may only weigh 20 to 30 lbs. compared to other manikins which can weigh up to 100 lbs.”

Being able to add advanced anatomy, such as lungs, stomachs, torsos, arms, etc., enhances flexibility and affordability by providing a “build-as-you-go” process. “The ability to add advanced parts is unique,” he says. “You can initially purchase a plain CPR manikin, or you use one you already have, then add an intubation head, EKG and defibrillation chest, and IV and blood pressure arms.”

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