Manikins Help Health Students Learn Clinical Skills

 Northern Essex’s new El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center is home to a community of highly sophisticated manikins and they play an important role in educating future health care professionals.

At the April 2 Board of Trustees meeting, which was held in Lawrence at the El-Hefni Center, Mary Farrell, dean of health, and Nancy Harnois, patient simulation center coordinator. shared a presentation with video to help trustees understand how the manikins bridge the gap between what students are taught in the classroom and their experiences at off-campus clinical sites. The goal is to prepare health care professionals who are well trained before they take care of their first real patient, according to Farrell.

“When we’re in a hospital room or the back of an ambulance, we hope we have someone experienced taking care of us,” she told trustees. “Simulation helps you fill in the gap between the classroom and caring for real patients.”

Northern Essex’s collection of manikins, includes six high-fidelity manikins that can do things like breathe oxygen, react to medications, bleed, and simulate medical conditions.

Student interactions with the manikins are videotaped, according to Harnois, allowing faculty to review and critique student performance, offering areas for improvement.

College’s Alcohol Policy is Repealed

Trustees voted unanimously to repeal the college’s alcohol policy which has been in effect since November of 1997.

Under the college’s old policy, alcohol was not allowed in any buildings owned or operated by the college.

The college’s policy will now be aligned with the other 14 Massachusetts community colleges as governed by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.

Trustees will be looking at the college’s alcohol policy in more detail at their May meeting.

Three to Receive Emeritus Status at 2014 Commencement

Three recent retirees will be honored with emeritus status at the May 17 Commencement Exercises. The three include: Cynthia Crivaro, professor emerita, of behavioral services; Judith Kamber, dean emerita, of professional development, and Thomas White, professor emeritus, of natural sciences.

At Northern Essex, the rank of emeritus is an honor that recognizes sustained excellence in performance, character, and meritorious service to the college. Emeritus recipients are recommended to the board of trustees for approval, based on recommendations by the college’s emeritus committee and President Glenn.

New Hires Join College

The board unanimously approved one new position, Jennifer Fielding, assistant librarian, and affirmed eight new positions which took effect in January, including Il Yoon, assistant professor, Natural Sciences/Engineering; Patricia Portanova, assistant professor, English; Jiri (George) Kucera, assistant professor, Mathematics; Michelle Carter, instructor, Art & Design; Adamaris Correa, clerk IV, Academic Advising; Stephen Shepard, maintainer I, Facilities Management; Dalisa Diaz, administrative assistant I, Human Resources Development; and Karina Munoz, EDP Entry Operator IV, Financial Aid.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees will be held on Wednesday, May 7 at 5 p.m. in Room 103 in the Hartleb Technology Center, Haverhill Campus.