(North Canton, OH – Feb. 13, 2020) – Stark State College’s respiratory care students are benefitting from the use of three new mechanical ventilation simulators in their laboratory, thanks to a $205,000 grant from the Timken Foundation of Canton.

The ASL 5000 mechanical ventilation simulators allow instructors to immerse students in a real-life environment where they can assess chest rise; lung, heart and bowel sounds; chest x-rays; arterial blood gas values; end-tidal carbon dioxide values; and waveforms, as well as mechanical ventilator graphics.

Stark State is the only college or university in Ohio to have three mechanical ventilation simulators available to students.

“As the need for registered respiratory therapists continues to grow, it’s vital that our graduates possess skills in patient assessment and data evaluation, advanced monitoring of ICU patients, ventilator management, respiratory interventions and recommendations and troubleshooting,” said Debbie Haslar, Stark State department chair of respiratory, laboratory and surgical technology. “These simulators will better prepare students for these expectations, as the simulation bridges the gap between theory and practice.”

Simulation scenarios, especially appealing to visual and tactile learners, provide a more realistic educational experience, Haslar said, since they offer a dynamic experience that can be manipulated by the instructor to meet course objectives. In addition, the simulators will be used during program outreach events, as well as inter-professional education opportunities.