FARMINGTON — NorthStar EMS, the regional ambulance service of Franklin Memorial Hospital, recently purchased a MetiMan patient simulator. This state-of-the-art, full-size simulator is designed to help train NorthStar and Franklin Memorial Hospital staff in areas of cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, trauma, critical care and general illness scenarios.

The lifelike, adult-sized manikin can replicate realistic breathing movement and sounds, heart sounds and rhythms, as well as actual pulses in several areas of the body. The eyes blink and are reactive to light and there are verbal responses to stimuli. Intravenous apparatus can be placed, access to airways can be secured, and blood pressure can be taken. A major innovative feature of the MetiMan is that it reacts to medications in the same way that a person would.

With its built-in wireless computer, hundreds of scenarios can be programmed into the simulator to improve clinical response. And, the simulator can be positioned and moved as if it were a real person.

According to David Robie, executive director of NorthStar, “MetiMan, with its vast array of clinical scenarios and lifelike responsiveness will be a key element in improving the skills of our already excellent NorthStar staff.”

MetiMan is a product of Medical Education Technologies. Versions of this simulator are also used by LifeFlight of Maine and the U.S. government to train its corpsmen.

Felicia Harris, NorthStar EMS operations manager, is shown treating the MetiMan patient simulator. Used for training staff, hundreds of scenarios can be programmed into the simulator to improve clinical response.