Healthcare Simulation Center Facilities

South Dakota State University College of Nursing has four sites with simulation facilities. They are located in Aberdeen, Brookings, Rapid City and Sioux Falls.

Our on-campus clinical learning environments provide simulation and clinical lab experience to students in our nursing programs, as well as other health related majors through interprofessional simulation experiences. 

SimMan©

Each of our campus locations hosts state-of-the-art labs with a computer-operated total body simulator, SimMan©, who can talk, breathe, simulate human heartbeat and act out a number of real-life scenarios, allowing our students to prepare for nursing practice in a realistic and safe environment. In the labs, students have the opportunity to work with a variety of patients. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, providing care to patients who are experiencing cardiac arrest, have chest pain or a head injury and need an IV. Students can even work with infant and child mannequins or those that represent pregnant or newly delivered mothers.

On-campus clinical learning environment

The science of simulation is continually evolving, and in response, we are working to improve our facilities. On our main campus in Brookings, we house four simulation suites with adjacent observation rooms that allow faculty to monitor students behind a two-way mirror. As well as two additional simulation suites, that invite student-faculty interaction for a total of six simulation suites.

Our experienced faculty manage the patient simulator responses to student questions and nursing interventions. Each suite is intended to imitate a real-world environment. These varied environments allow students to gain experience in one of our four hospital rooms, a home setting, and a clinical environment. In these environments, students can safely develop their skills and concentrate on the patient care experience, as well as receive immediate feedback from faculty in the debriefing held after each simulation.

Skills labs

Our skills labs provide an opportunity for experiential hands-on practice. This is provided through formal classes, scheduled practice times and open lab sessions which allow students to practice independently using available supplies. An experienced faculty member is often available to assist with practice.