Saving a life during a medical emergency starts with being prepared with proper training.
The “Super Tory” is helping student nurses at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) get that real-world experience, without ever leaving the classroom.
Super Tory resembles an 8-pound baby and can virtually recreate any neonatal medical emergency. She looks real. She feels real. She sounds real. She’s a wireless robot that is the world’s most advanced neonatal patient simulator; and, for the first time, the technology is being used by nursing students in Houston.
“Every second count in newborn critical care. Having this technology really helps set Prairie View A&M ahead of the rest. When our nurses graduate, they will have real life-like experiences that will help provide better care for patients,” says Dr. Isaac L. Smith, Ph.D., RN, Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing and Director of Clinical Simulation and Laboratory Learning at Prairie View A&M University.
Super Tory can develop breathing problems, cardiac arrest, jaundice, even seizures, at the press of a button. She can move her arms and legs, make sounds and facial expressions, which are important cues since babies cannot tell a caregiver what’s wrong. The baby’s vital signs and movements are controlled by a behind-the-scenes engineer who communicates remotely through headphones. Even if the nursing trainees make a mistake during a mock code, it becomes a teachable moment and no one gets hurt, not even the patient.
Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing continues to stand out as a fervent exemplar in educating professional nurses for now and the future. This year, the college celebrates 100 years of making a difference in defining and actualizing a positive experience for many fine women and men who choose Nursing as their career. Transcending the challenge of time, our nursing graduates have extensively contributed to the quality and excellence in nursing and healthcare delivery throughout Texas, the nation, and the world.
PVAMU trains students in state-of-the-art simulation technology, which prepare them for careers in nursing, and ranks high in preparing students for state nursing exams.
By Texas Medical Center and Maurice Perkins
