Simulation manikins have been donated by Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) to help the Town of Bracebridge’s recreation department train.
The manikins were used at the South Muskoka Memorial and Huntsville District Memorial Hospitals to train hospital staff in CPR and other mock body scenarios. “With age and continued use, the manikin’s electronic parts have deteriorated and can no longer be used for these training purposes,” Recreation Programmer Christine Cousins says.
“(We) will use the manikins when training staff in emergency response scenarios and lifesaving skills,” she explains. The manikins are being donated by MAHC because the electronic parts inside them are worn down after years of use. What town staff will be doing won’t be as intense as what nurses use it for, so Cousins says the fact that the technology doesn’t work perfectly isn’t a big deal.
What makes the manikins unique when compared to the ones you might see at the mall, is these have modules. The diapers on the baby manikins are where the modules are. Here’s how it works: Cousins says they gauge the rate and depth of compression when the trainee is administering CPR. A green, yellow, or red light will flash to tell them if they need to apply more pressure or less. “We have a few of these manikins that we use for first-aid, but we don’t have the modules,” Cousins says, noting the previous manikins they used were just plastic with no technology inside them.
On top of training, the manikins will also be used to help train staff to find missing people. “It’s easier when people doing the mock simulation know they’re looking for something that looks human as opposed to a pink ball,” Cousins says.