\u201cOur mobile simulation training lab conveniently brings the classroom to the parking lot,\u201d said Rhonda Thompson, M.S.N.-Ed, R.N., CA-SANE, Texas Health Fort Worth\u2019s Medical Simulation Program manager. \u201cBy meeting individuals where they are, healthcare professionals and students can eliminate long-distance travel, gain essential skills and immediately return to their normal schedules.\u201d<\/p>\n
Texas has more rural residents, 4.3 million people, than any other state in the nation and is the second largest state geographically.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe purpose today is to connect with Johnson County EMS, and they are bringing in their EMTs and paramedics to cycle through for training,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n
The mobile lab \u2014 the largest of its kind in North Texas \u2014 is a fully renovated Freightliner outfitted with a simulated patient room, training equipment and a multipurpose classroom. Inside, responders can practice critical lifesaving skills in a controlled, realistic environment.<\/p>\n
The mobile unit is an expanded service of Texas Health Fort Worth\u2019s Amon G. Carter Medical Simulation Training Center, located above the hospital\u2019s Emergency Department.<\/p>\n
The unit has visited Johnson County Emergency Services District No. 1 over the past two weeks to provide local first responders with hands-on experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s got a patient room that looks just like a real one, with equipment and even a mannequin patient,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cThen we have a multipurpose area where we can debrief or do additional training.\u201d<\/p>\n
Participants rotated through stations focused on high-risk, high-skill procedures such as intubation, IV insertion and intraosseous access. Inside the unit, crews worked through simulated emergency scenarios, including pediatric asthma attacks and drowning incidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re practicing intubation, IV insertion \u2014 all those critical skills,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cSome providers don\u2019t get to perform them often, so this gives them a chance to really build that muscle memory.\u201d<\/p>\n
The simulations are interactive, requiring paramedics to assess situations, administer medications and make real-time decisions while the mannequin responds accordingly.<\/p>\n
Training scenarios are all customized to meet specific organizational needs, and each adheres to best practices established by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.<\/p>\n
The program is especially valuable for rural departments, where staffing limitations and distance can make traditional training difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor some rural fire departments and hospitals, it\u2019s hard to send an entire crew to Fort Worth,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cIf we can come to their parking lot, they can train and go right back to work \u2014 and that\u2019s proven to be really effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local EMS say the mobile lab has already made a noticeable impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been such a huge asset,\u201d JCESD paramedic Chloe Carothers said. \u201cBeing able to get hands-on training with newer equipment and run through real-life scenarios helps our providers translate that directly into patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Departments across the county \u2014 including volunteer agencies supported by emergency services districts \u2014 have been invited to participate, with multiple agencies already taking advantage of the opportunity.<\/p>\n
The mobile lab is part of Texas Health Fort Worth\u2019s broader simulation training program and was fully funded through philanthropic support. Its goal is to expand access to high-quality medical education while ultimately improving patient outcomes across North Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy meeting individuals where they are, healthcare professionals and students can eliminate long-distance travel, gain essential skills and immediately return to their normal schedules,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n
As Texas continues to grow, so does the need for healthcare workers, including emergency medical technicians and nurses. Although the number of new nurses is growing, the increase is not enough to meet expected needs. By 2032, the demand for registered nurses in Texas is expected to grow by 38.8%, leaving a deficit of more than 57,000 RNs statewide.<\/p>\n
Compounding the situation is that rural residents, on average, drive 60 miles just to reach a hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new unit enables us to increase our training time with EMT teams, interact with rural health facilities and fire departments, and establish beneficial relationships with school nurses and students,\u201d said Laura McWhorter, Texas Health Resources Foundation president. \u201cMobile simulation is helping to provide critical health education and, more importantly, Texas Health is improving patient outcomes in the surrounding areas, no matter where North Texans live.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Adam Harvey\u2019s foundation has raised about $50,000 toward a memorial on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds that would include the names of EMS providers who died in the line of duty\n <\/p>\n April 28, 2026 09:18 AM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The complaint alleges Onslow County failed to properly investigate or secure the EMT\u2019s phone after learning she photographed a critically injured patient who later died\n <\/p>\n April 28, 2026 09:54 AM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n A Des Moines Fire Department paramedic used a blood transfusion system after a stabbing, starting treatment before the patient reached a hospital\n <\/p>\n April 28, 2026 11:45 AM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The Ely Area Ambulance was transporting a patient to Duluth when it hit a cow moose on Hwy. 169\n <\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 the Clinton Herald (Clinton, Iowa).![\"Bill](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1777551315_309_.jpeg\")
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