Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center holds Disaster Day to prepare healthcare students

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center held a special event on Friday to help their students get some hands-on experience preparing for disasters.

Renee Bogschutz, director of interprofessional education at TTUHSC says, “In West Texas, a disaster is really not if it is going to happen, but when.”

When that day comes, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center wants its healthcare workers prepped and ready.

Abigail Rickli, a nursing student at TTUHSC says, “We are going to be simulating a tornado where there is basically a massive flood that happened. Our role is to evacuate the remaining patients and put them in triage and get them to a safe space.”

Just like in a real disaster, it was all hands on deck Friday to get patients to safety.

“We have nursing students, pharmacy students, medical students, athletic training students, physical therapy, occupational therapy,” Bogschutz said.

All of those students have the same goal in mind.

Esperance Ndri, a nursing student at TTUHSC says, “I am excited, but I am expecting to just learn how to work with other professions and how to treat our patients the best we can.”

Giving patients the best care, and preparing for real-world scenarios.

“When we do have that day in the future, whenever it is, we can just act calm, we know kind of what to expect, we know what our role is,” Rickli said.

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