When veterans return from combat, some develop multiple and chronic illnesses that require a range of treatments and are often treated by nurses who need a background of training equipping them to properly handle these demands.

Graduate students gained experience at the Capstone College of Nursing by performing live medical simulations on theatre students who took the roll of veterans suffering from multiple conditions Monday.

Leah Yerby, professor of community and rural medicine for the Institute for Rural Health Research, helped the students on the medical side of the simulations.

“They are graduate students in nursing, medicine, social work and nutrition,” Yerby said.

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The simulations were made possible by two grants given to the University. The Capstone College of Nursing received a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a grant from The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Rural Health, said Alice March, associate professor of the Capstone’s College of Nursing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs grant works specifically with teaching students how to take better care of veterans suffering from chronic conditions, March said.

“I want to thank everyone,” March said to all of the participants after the simulation. “This teaches students to work together to train students particularly about patients of multiple conditions. Our simulation was for teamwork.”

During an open discussion, students who took part in the simulation said they felt stage fright while diagnosing the patient but enjoyed collaborating with one another. March said there were eight groups consisting of four or five students. These students worked together as a team to diagnose the patients in order to make a plan of action to cure the “veterans.”

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Michael Witherell, a second-year graduate student in the theatre department, said he enjoyed playing a veteran and was impressed by the students who “treated” him in the simulation.

“I thought it was great communication-wise,” Witherell said. “The teams gave leeway to each other, which made me feel comfortable.”

David Bolus, a first-year graduate student in the theatre department, also played the role of a veteran during the simulation.

“Both groups made a very clear plan of action, and I think the students worked together very well,” Bolus said.

Through the teamwork, students were able to properly diagnose their patients, which will help prepare them for the professions they will soon enter.

“It was a great experience working as a team to take care of a patient, which is the number one goal,” Rebecca Mays, a first-year nurse practitioner student said.

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