Carbondale Reporter

Dozens of nursing students from John A. Logan College recently participated in a “Skills Day” at the Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) Simulation Lab, located on the college campus. The event aimed to prepare students for their upcoming clinical rotations by providing practical experience with medication administration, IV pushes, and digital charting using equipment identical to what is found in SIH hospitals.

The initiative reflects an ongoing partnership between SIH and John A. Logan College that seeks to connect classroom instruction with real-world medical scenarios. Nicci Haney, SIH Nursing Professional Development Outcomes Leader for Onboarding and Orientation, said, “This collaborative project is amazing in that nursing students are utilizing the exact equipment they’ll see during their clinicals. We hope it reduces anxiety, builds competency and ultimately helps them deliver safe patient care.”

Kristin Yosanovich, Dean of Health Sciences and Director of Nursing at John A. Logan College, highlighted the significance of medication administration practice: “This is a vital skill that nurses use every single day. By practicing in an authentic environment, students gain confidence before stepping into hospital settings.”

Summar McDonald, Assistant Professor of Nursing at JALC and a former SIH nurse herself, noted the personal impact of the event: “As a JALC graduate and former SIH nurse, it’s full circle for me. We didn’t have this much hands-on simulation when I was a student. Watching today’s students gain confidence on the same machines they’ll use in practice is incredible.”

First-semester student Rebecca Tullis described her experience as transformative: “I don’t have a lot of medical background, so this was a huge step forward. You can’t learn how to pull meds from a textbook—practicing on the Pyxis system makes me feel prepared to walk into clinicals.”

Since its construction in 2012, the SIH Simulation Lab has functioned as a training center for both new healthcare employees and students throughout Southern Illinois. For those enrolled in John A. Logan College’s nursing program, this hands-on exposure offers not only essential practice but also preparation for future roles in patient care.