Mayo Clinic simulation lab prepares nurses, sees real-world success

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Mayo Clinic says it’s constantly working to further its staff education and skills.

In 2022, St. Marys own nursing simulation lab opened its doors. It’s home to four medical mannequins that talk, breath and blink like a human. The lab’s goal is to strengthen skills and confidence.

“Any type of scenario that you can think of if you want the mannequin to have a rare disease, we can make that happen,” Nursing Education Coordinator Paul Branstad said.

Since the doors opened, it’s been a safe place to make mistakes and learn for more than 13,000 nurses.

“We can always restart the mannequin and make sure that there is a learning opportunity. If a mistake has been done,” Branstad explained.

Mayo Clinic Intensive Care Unit Nurse Zachary Bernatz says it’s made him a better provider.

“I’ve had patients personally that have gone into some lethal rhythms, whether we fix that with like IV medications or if we have to do transcutaneous pacing or whatever it is. We’ve worked through that here and I have felt much more comfortable in my unit with patients,” Bernatz said.

The fake patients keep nurses’ skills sharp. This was Nursing Education Specialist Michelle Coy’s goal when she created a unique cardiac emergency. It’s almost hard to believe what happened next.

“The very next day, the exact same group of nurses did the exact same code in the same patient room, and they saved that patients life and the patient walked out of the hospital 10 days later,” Coy said.

Mayo Clinic explained what happens inside the simulation has been instrumental in improving patient care.

“To watch them put together all of the pieces and save their mannequin’s life is very, very rewarding. That happens all the time in our educational practice,” Coy said.

The simulation gives real-time feedback the nurses will carry with them for their career – sometimes when they least expect it.

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