SHELBY - Simulation In Motion Montana brought advanced medical training to Logan Health in Shelby, using high-tech mannequins to prepare rural hospital staff for trauma scenarios they might encounter during real emergencies.
The non-profit organization specializes in providing realistic training experiences for medical professionals across Montana's rural communities.
Watch to learn more about the Simulation In Motion Montana training:
"They're going to be going through an ATV rollover simulation training, that we do quite frequently to expose them to the high-quality, low-frequency trauma that happens in rural Montana all the time," said Simulation In Motion Montana regional manager DJ Olson.
The training mannequins are far more sophisticated than traditional medical dummies, featuring advanced technology that mimics real patient responses.
"They can blink and breathe. One of them will deliver a baby. They can track you. You can get pulse ox. You can get blood sugars from them. They're pretty advanced. They're great training tools," Olson said.
For Tia Kuntz, trauma outreach and injury prevention specialist at Benefis Health System in Great Falls, the realistic mannequins provide invaluable hands-on learning opportunities that traditional training methods cannot match.
Watch previous coverage: Nonprofit's lifelike medical simulations bring lifesaving skills to rural Montana
"I think having a mannequin that truly can show us everything we get to actually put IVs in these patients, we can intubate this little guy. Getting to have hands on where we can see the assessment rather than just being told. Oh, now you see this. I think it really heightens that education that we're able to provide," Kuntz said.
Beyond technical skills, the training emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in emergency situations.
"I would hope just communication and teamwork. It sounds kind of silly, but that's absolutely the most important thing is for the team to know that, you know, anybody can interject, and say what their thoughts are and feel comfortable saying those things and feel comfortable working together as a team," said Frederick Barton, emergency and family nurse practitioner at Logan Health.
Simulation In Motion Montana travels throughout the state, bringing these critical training scenarios to rural hospitals to ensure medical teams are prepared for whatever emergencies they may face.
