Simulate

The past few weeks in the halls of NAIT there have been a lot of "SIM" Labs going on. The respiratory therapy students are rolled down the hallways on stretchers while giving CPR to a "patient", the paramedics have actors simulating an emergency scenario, even the medical lab students deal with an emotionally volatile "patient" in the lab next door. I had my turn in a SIM lab last week as well, an animal comes in, and I choose my drugs and do calculations, induce, tube and hook up to the anesthetic machine. From an outside point of view it seems silly to watch people take a situation that isn't actually an emergency so seriously. I know these are actors, I know that I can't really kill this animal, but these experiences are stressful. We are meant to be put in a stressful situation so we can learn how to keep our cool under pressure. More learning happens when under a certain level of stress, and we learn valuable lessons from these simulated emergencies.

It is important to get put ourselves in controlled situations where our stress level is up at kung fu as well. I know a lot of students get uncomfortable about sparring but it is a great tool. We don't spar so we learn to be stand up fighters, it teaches us how to move and react in a situation where our blood pressure is up so we can learn to think on our feet so to speak. Sparring in class is a safe, controlled environment that brings up a little bit of that stress response and can be a great learning experience.