Simulated Patient Stories

Simulated Patient Story 

A good friend told me about her experience as a simulated/standardized patient and thought I might also be interested in this opportunity.  I investigated it and decided to apply. Thus began my journey into the simulated patient world. 

One of the things that attracted me was the interaction with students from a variety of HealthCare programs at PNWU. This fulfilled one of my long-term goals as a retired healthcare professional to give back to the community and support the education to other healthcare providers in training. Another long-term goal was to teach at a medical school.  Both goals met!

Having to memorize scripts for weekly scenarios was an added benefit that I hadn’t counted on.  It improved my memory!  I am finding that I can memorize the scripts in less time than when I first started as a simulated patient.

Working with the students in various scenarios has been a highlight of my week.  It is fulfilling work and gives purpose to my life.  My advice to anyone considering this work, it is fun and fulfills socialization needs and an added benefit is supporting your memory capacity. AND you do not have to have any healthcare experience to be successful as a simulated patient.

~ Dionetta Hudzinski

In January of 2020 Astria Regional Medical Center closed. I had been a Medical Technologist, now know as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist for over 40 years. It was tough. I was eventually hired at Astria Sunnyside and Toppenish, but a little more than a year later, I was tired of the turn-overs at the labs and retired. I found I didn’t like retirement so I began to work at Kameo Flower Shop.

I liked Kameo, but I missed the medical side of things. One day I was shopping at Safeway when I ran into my friend, Stephen Sevigny. Steve began to tell me that he worked at PNWU as a Simulated Patient and he thought I would really enjoy that job. I asked him how I could apply and he told me to go online on the PNWU website and I would be able to apply under job opportunities. I went home, thought about it and applied. Soon afterwards I got a call for an interview and was accepted.

My first contact was with Derrick Owsley and Chelan Shepherd. Both were extremely nice. Derrick went over the technical part of the program and it was a little daunting at first, but I persevered. My first chance to be an SP was during a joint drill with the Yakima Police Department and the sheriff’s office. It was a lot of fun. I even died a time or two. After that school was back in session and I started working with the DO learners. I have enjoyed this job. I am somewhat back into the medical side of life and I get to help student doctors on their journey of becoming medical providers, of which I am very grateful.

Sheryl Scott

How did an ex-sailor and retired engineer end up in this situation? A friend told me about PNWU’s SP program, and as I have always enjoyed helping people, I thought this sounded like something I might enjoy. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. It is much harder work than I originally expected, and the work is important. We are there to take part in helping to mold a new generation of medical professionals. But it is also rewarding… and I am not just talking about the pay. I am constantly delighted and humbled by the caliber of people involved. From the Simulation Center Staff, to the faculty we get to work with, to the learners who never cease to amaze me. The learners constantly impress me, from the level of knowledge and empathy they display to their ability to adapt to the various encounters we present them with, to how willingly, eagerly even, they take our feedback. Sometimes the feedback is difficult to say, and I know it is twice as difficult to hear. I am constantly amazed at how often learners start the feedback session by saying that they have been working on something that an SP had told them in a previous encounter, and how often I have the pleasure of complementing them on how well they did in that area (that might be my favorite part of this job).

While the role of an SP may come with its moments of uncertainty and challenges, it has been a remarkable journey that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Being a part of PNWU’s SP program has allowed me to contribute to the development of future medical professionals, and it has enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined. The camaraderie, the learning, and the satisfaction of witnessing these aspiring doctors grow and excel are rewards that transcend monetary compensation. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a small but vital part of their journey, and I look forward to many more encounters filled with learning, growth, and the joy of seeing our learners reach their full potential.

~ David Wilkes

My name is Anna Fulton and I have been a standardized patient for eleven months. My guiding purpose for participating in this role was to facilitate and participate in student learning. I was faculty at WSU College of Nursing for 25 years and retired May 2022, but soon discovered I missed student interaction and being in an energetic and dynamic learning environment. As a nursing faculty our students would participate in interdisciplinary simulations, so I was aware of the standard patient role, and was delighted to discover that there was a place for me at PNWU. I feel very honored and humbled that I can continue to contribute to the educational process of individuals in the health care field. Education is very important to me; I received my GED when I was 40yrs old and eventually graduated with an MSN at age 52 and consider myself to be a lifelong learner. Being a standardized patient fulfills my desire to “give back and be of service” to the community. A lovely and unexpected benefit of this role is that my memory is improving and I have discovered a new community of individuals who are supportive and nurturing and who I can call my friends. I hope to continue to grow in the role of a standardized patient to best meet the needs of the students as we partner together to meet their learning objectives.