Students at Galen College of Nursing’s Aurora Campus recently got a front-row seat to the realities of emergency care during a large-scale Mass Casualty Simulation at HCA HealthONE Swedish Medical Center. The immersive exercise put students in the middle of a fast-moving crisis and highlighted the teamwork required to save lives.

During the drill, nursing students stepped into dual roles: acting as patients and observing how nurses and emergency teams respond in real time. The event, conducted with hospital emergency staff and local EMS, created a realistic, high-pressure environment.

Marie Howard, an ADN student at Galen, played a mass casualty patient, stepping into the shoes of those receiving care in a crisis. “Seeing the way all of the providers worked together to treat each patient that came in the doors was truly amazing. It reinforced my belief that teamwork is the backbone of healthcare,” she reflected. This experience piqued her interest in the emergency department, and she plans to pursue it after graduating.

Aurora’s Director of Clinical Education, Kelsey Solarz, MSN-NLM, RN, coordinated the experience. “Hands-on, interdisciplinary clinical experiences create powerful opportunities for all nursing students to grow — fostering critical thinking, clinical judgment, and confidence in real-world settings,” Solarz said. “These experiences bridge the gap between classroom learning and compassionate, collaborative care, empowering future nurses to make a meaningful impact in every patient’s life.”

Dr. Whitney Erickson, Dean of the Aurora Campus, added, “The invitation to participate in this drill is a testament to our strong relationship with HCA HealthONE Swedish. It also highlights our commitment to excellence in healthcare education.”

Through exercises like this, students gain more than clinical skills — they gain confidence and readiness to respond when it counts. Emergencies may never announce their arrival, but thanks to large-scale collaborative drills, Galen graduates will be prepared to jump into action.

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