Fanshawe students experience trauma first hand as part of simulation event

CTV London: Immersed in trauma Fanshawe College students worked side by side with emergency professionals in simulation exercises. Gerry Dewan reports.

Fifty emergency situations played out at Fanshawe College Saturday.

It was all part of its annual Trauma and Treatment weekend, an inter-professional simulation event involving 300 participants from the paramedic, nursing, emergency telecommunications and other programs. More than  50 police officers, fire and paramedic volunteered for the day.

Officials say the day provides a unique experiential learning opportunity.

"In a simulated environment you can't reproduce the stressors that happen in real life. So we do throw some artificial stressors in, or some contrived stresses. For example, one of the calls, they arrived and we had eight live snakes," says Dugg Steary, coordinator of the College’s Paramedic program.

Many of the scenarios were graphic and realistic in nature. Participants develop an understanding and appreciation of each other’s skills, roles and responsibilities as well as gain a sense of collaboration to help transform our emergency services.

Some of the "emergencies" included an RV out of control, a stabbing and a man hit in the throat with an arrow.