LIFELIKE manikins which breath, blink and can have cardiac arrests on demand are just some of the state-of-the-art innovations at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) multi-million dollar nursing and midwifery training facility.

The $4 million Nursing Experiential Learning Centre, which opened at CSU’s Orange campus yesterday, includes a range of new equipment which rivals that seen at real hospitals.

Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Elaine Duffy said the mock hospital wards, and single consulting rooms, allowed students to simulate real life medical scenarios before entering the healthcare industry.

“To receive equipment that the hospitals don’t yet have means that Charles Sturt University is leading the way in higher education for healthcare professionals,” she said.

“We’re fortunate to have this facility in our region ... in the future we’d like to see more spread throughout our region.”

Professor Duffy said she was hoping to conduct research which revealed how effective the facility is for student learning.

According to nursing lecturer Krishna Lambert the “benchmark” facility will ensure that once they graduate students are able to “hit the ground running”.

“It’s great to have a course that trains homegrown rural nurses for the rural community.”

The facility will primarily be used by distance learning students from throughout the region, as well as E2 school nursing students and students from other faculties.