Wilson College students are buzzing with excitement. What is it on the Chambersburg campus that’s got them talking? New nursing simulators and exercise science equipment, like treadmills and body scanners, to help them prepare for their careers in health care.

The new equipment, funded by a WellSpan Summit Endowment grant, allows students to experience realistic simulations.

“This specific program is an investment in our potential future workforce,” says Julia Kint, community grants program administrator at WellSpan Health. “If we can help provide the best educational tools, then it will better prepare students for their careers.”

Last year, WellSpan supported community projects by investing more than $1.9 million in community grants across central Pennsylvania.

Professional training equipment

Nursing students at Wilson College now have access to two new refurbished beds to practice taking care of patients, while also practicing safe bedside manner. They also used the funds to update “Hal,” their pediatric manikin that simulates multiple scenarios for the students. Hal’s new software allows him to talk, breathe, turn blue and even have seizures so students can experience more high-risk simulations in the comfort of their classroom.

“We’re so grateful to be able to give something more realistic to the students to train with,” says Professor Kim Erwin of Wilson College. “The grant really helps us stay current with educational tools and devices and makes teaching more interactive for me. We want to give back to the community and help create critical thinkers and this grant helps us do that.”

Waverly Moffet, Olalla Sanchez and Rachel Newswanger are sophomore nursing students and appreciate how helpful the beds and “Hal” have been to their learning experience.

From left, Rachel, Professor Erwin, Waverly and Olalla practice a simulation on Hal.

“It’s great to know we’re using similar technology that’s found in local hospitals, so we don’t miss a beat when we leave the classroom,” says Olalla. “It definitely feels more realistic and gives us better practice for the different scenarios we may experience.”

The grant also provided tools for exercise science students to measure body composition and physical demand during exercise.  A smart stationary bike and two new treadmills allow students to learn, and to exercise while doing it.

Several students have seen the equipment at internships as they assist professional athletes, including Ben Metz, a senior who plans to pursue a career as a personal trainer when he graduates.

From left, Miranda Hardy, Professor Payton Dziemburski and Ben Metz test Miranda’s metabolic rate on the new stationary bike using the metabolic cart. The small machine connects to the bike to measure an individual’s physical demand during activity and how they can alter their training or weight loss process. It also helps individuals with chronic conditions and those in rehabilitation.

Ben and Miranda use the new InBody machine to measure Ben’s body composition, including muscle mass, body fat and water levels.

“Being able to practice with the new equipment has been so great,” says Ben. “I know I’ll be using this for my future job and be better prepared. It’s opening up more job opportunities for everyone.”

Professor Nikolas Rosenberry wants to offer the best opportunities to his students.

“It’s a big deal to have this equipment available this year,” he says. “Not only does it help students feel more comfortable by the time they enter the workforce, but it helps them improve their communication skills by practicing with other students and faculty every day. It’s been night and day compared to what we had access to last year.”

Ben runs on the new treadmill while Miranda uses the metabolic machine. The treadmill is used by professional athletes, with a 20% to 30% incline and top speeds of 20 mph.

Overall, the grant has impacted approximately 100 students in the program, which continues to grow every year. Students with bachelor’s degrees in exercise science and in health sciences are currently in high demand.

Mindy Guinard, director of nursing and health sciences at Wilson College, is grateful for the college’s relationship with WellSpan.

“This support helps us keep more students in the community when they enter the health care field after graduating,” says Mindy. “It also helps us assist students in gaining more knowledge to make them sought-after graduates.”

Learn more about how we support our communities through community grants here.