Tension fills the room as a 15-year-old patient lies motionless, unresponsive from a suspected drug overdose.
His blood pressure is dangerously low, pupils fixed and dilated. The team rushes to stabilise him—airways are prepped, drugs are drawn up, and adrenaline is ready to push. Every second matters.
But this isn’t real. It’s a high-stakes simulation at Redland Hospital's Emergency Department, designed to push healthcare staff to their limits in preparation for real-life scenarios.
And just like the real thing, the team is treating the situation with the utmost seriousness.
Running the simulation is Clinical Facilitator and SIM Coordinator Sarah Vincenzi.
“These simulations mirror the intense pressure of real emergency situations,” she said. “I set up, organise, and run the equipment for our weekly training.
“Each week varies, sometimes we’re focused on paediatric cases, other times adult multisystem failure patients. The goal is to match the simulation to the curriculum and learning objectives."
The sessions go beyond practising technical skills - they also strengthen teamwork and communication.
Sarah said that involvement from a team of health professionals was key.
“We strive to bring in nursing staff and have observers learn from the experience without the pressure of participation. We make sure everyone, from registrars to nurses, experiences the scenario as if it’s unfolding in real time.”
She said the team navigated critical moments, managing the patient’s intubation, administering drugs, securing IV access, and prepping for possible transport.
"A thorough and thoughtful brief is always given to help participants to feel safe within their environment and we always allow time for debrief post the simulation.
“Recently we ran a procedural sedation scenario, and the very next week, the nurse and doctor involved faced the same situation in real life.
"They felt ready, they felt prepared, and they handled it brilliantly.”