With only a few days to go before the Human Health Building is finished, students and professors settle in, despite the continuing construction.

Meghan Harris, associate professor of pediatric nursing and group nursing informatics, said her first class went well despite  technical difficulties.

Harris said she conducted two simulation labs, where students practice on robotic mannequins to gain lifelike experiences in a hospital room set-up, during her first week of classes and things weren’t operating.

“When we try to operate the machines under certain degrees of pressure, it doesn’t operate as it should,” Harris said.

She said without the compressed air in the walls, simulation machines, which operate the mannequins, are giving one-word effects. She said this makes them operate loudly and takes away from the realism.

According to Harris, the compressors are on a cycle, so once the machine begins its cycle, it gives off a loud noise and then stops.

“We’ve had a lot of technical difficulties, but the support is good,” said Ben Liu, a sophomore nursing student. “We’ve always had someone come right in and fix whatever the problem is.”

Harris said students were  understanding when it came to technological problems.

“Some students said it had happened in other classes and others tried to help,” Harris said.

 

Putting on the finishing touches 

Harris said the software for the cameras in the simulation labs is missing as well.

“I have a project where we will be evaluating simulation and some of those details will really make a difference,” Harris said.

She said the film that goes on the windows in the simulation room and the control room has not yet arrived either.

She said when the film is applied to the windows, the students will not be able to see into the control room.

“We can control the labs, run the simulation from there and with the intercom system working, that will be better for the students,” Harris said.

She said the control room acts as a two- way mirror, so they can watch the students but the students cannot see them.

“In terms of the classroom where I lecture, I think the technology that’s there is fine but it needs to be a bit more stable,” Harris said. “There are still just a few kinks to work out.”

Cheryl McPherson, assistant dean of finance and administration of the School of Nursing, said she hasn’t had a lot of complaints.

“I think students are aware that it’s a working progress but I think they are also very pleased with the building as well,” McPherson said.

She said The Health Nut Café is due to open in a few weeks and will be located on the first floor.

“There will be a lot of areas for students to utilize besides the lounge areas,” McPherson said.

The 170,000-square-foot $64.4 million Human Health Building has been constructed over the last two years. It is home to the School of Nursing and School of Health Sciences.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place Sept. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m.

McPherson said the university’s campus will be open to the community, so people will be free to walk through and tour the building.

 

Contact Multimedia Reporter Misha Mayhand via email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @MishaMayhand