Health simulation at Brunswick Community College prepares students for post-disaster recovery challenges

BRUNSWICK, NC (WWAY) — Hosted at Brunswick Community College, Trillium Health Resources teamed up with Brunswick County Health to hold a post disaster simulation for health professionals and nursing students.  

The goal was to give participants a realistic look at what the weeks following a disaster could feel like.    

Brooke Mickelson is the Director of Program Coordination with Trillium. 

She says getting a first-hand experience is key. 

“We want to make sure that people are prepared and, by going through the simulation, they really see the resources that are limited, it gives them just a hands on experience of what it could be like if they don’t prepare properly,” says Mickelson.  

Students were assigned profiles, then tasked with finding supplies, filing insurance claims, seeking medical care, and obtaining needed medications and services.  

Some profiles included additional challenges, such as seeking help for a mental illness, disability, or substance abuse disorders.  

Sondra White is a nursing instructor with Brunswick Community College.  

She says it’s important for nursing students to be ready and prepared for real world challenges.   

“It’s important for our students to know that these are things that we are going to have to address in a very positive way, so that we can be a force for the community,” said White.  

Diana Hills, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Brunswick County Health Services, says recovery is just as critical as preparation. 

 “We wanted to make sure that people understood that it is wonderful to prepare for a disaster, but the recovery phase is also just as important about what happens after a disaster leaves us and some of the things that we need to make sure that we also have in order to get back to our normal day-to-day operations,” says Hills.