Medical Laboratory students play dead for disaster exercise

At first glance, one may think they were on the set of the popular television series The Walking Dead.  Open wounds and blood abound.

It was no TV shoot, but rather the Shelby County Medical Reserve Corps’ fall disaster exercise at the Agricenter last month. But like a TV shoot, it was a big production with fake wounds and blood and actors strewn about simulating their last grasps at life.

Southwest Medical Laboratory Technology students, fulfilling their service learning requirements as part of the College’s High Impact Practices and Innovation (HIPI) model, were among the actors who volunteered for the exercise.

“They learned so much about hematology and hemostasis,” Medical Laboratory Technology/Phlebotomy Assistant Professor Shilpa Desai said.  “They learned the consequences of extreme blood loss and what happens to the body when catastrophic amounts of blood are lost.”  

Desai says experiences like the disaster exercise are critical for preparing future allied health professionals. “These students are the future laboratory technicians of our greater Memphis area,” she said.  “This exercise was a great opportunity to prepare them for medical emergencies where multiple victims are involved.”

Nikita Neely, a medical laboratory technology student scheduled to graduate this spring, agrees. “The drill taught me how to prioritize what is important when handling a load of cases at one time,” she said. Neely says she learned also that continuous training is critical to providing lifesaving care. “I realized that the emergency room at one of the local hospitals truly needed the practice,” she said. “I pretended to be a code red patient near death and it took them over 30 minutes to get me on a stretcher.

“I’m glad the city is taking preparation in case this happens, and with practice, the city will be prepared and everyone will be OK.”