Central Community College is first Nebraska college to feature AI patient simulator

GRAND ISLAND, Neb.- - Central Nebraska nursing students are now more equipped to deal with real-life situations thanks to newly acquired technology. 

Central Community College is housing the most state-of-the art simulation center in the state. The college has recently added the HAL S5301 manikin called Ivan. 

Jered Kotschwar is with Gaumard Scientific. He says this kind of AI healthcare technology is also used in hospitals and the military.

“They are human patient simulators. So they are meant to give the student the effect that they are working on a real patient inside a clinical setting,” said Kotschwar. 

Ivan is made of realistic silicone model skin and is able to answer questions. 

Dean of Nursing Pam Bales says communication skills tend to be the weakest area for students. 

“This is going to give us the opportunity to really work on that particular skill because we don’t know what he’s going to actually answer or say, so it could lead you down a lot of different directions," said Bales. "But then it’s also going to force that student to really think about what I’m saying, how I’m saying it, do I need to be more clear in my information or my directions.”

Second year nursing student Olivia Peshek says Ivan will help them in learning how to react to different situations. 

“This is a safe space to make mistakes and this is where it’s not gonna be as deadly or as detrimental in the real life, so might as well make them here where we have our classmates and our instructors,” said Peshek. 

“I think this is going to help the way that healthcare is done in this area for the next 10 years. These nursing students at Central Community College are going to be very ready to go,” said Kotschwar.