LEWISTON, N.Y. -- It can breathe, cough, and it even has a heart rate.
"The mannequin would do things really similar to what a patient really would do so they can see what would happen if they did a particular thing a particular way, it might have a good outcome or it might have a negative outcome," said Niagara University School of Nursing Director Fran Crosby.
The computerized mannequin is one of three that's intended to be an educational tool for nursing students in a new $1.5 million nursing simulation center at Niagara University. It's being officially unveiled Saturday.
"They need to be observant in assessing the patient. The blood pressure can change, I can control all of those parameters with a laptop computer so as they're in the room things can change based on what the scenario is hoping to achieve," said Niagara University Simulation Coordinator Mary Way.
"The learning takes place afterwards when we have a debriefing about what went on and the other students have been watching," said Crosby.
The simulation center is meant to be a bridge between the classroom and a hospital setting. It will help students develop their critical thinking and practice making decisions through a simulated scenario a nurse could face on the job.
"They learn what's called situational vigiliance, so when they go into a room instead just thinking about the task that they wanted to do they look around and see all of what's going on with the patient," said Way.