By Monica Faram
Clinton Herald
JOHNSON COUNTY, Texas — A 43-foot mobile medical simulation lab is helping bring advanced, hands-on training directly to emergency responders across North Texas — including right here in Johnson County.
Operated by Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, the mobile unit is designed to deliver realistic medical training scenarios to EMS providers, firefighters and healthcare workers in rural areas who might otherwise face long travel times to access such resources.
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“Our mobile simulation training lab conveniently brings the classroom to the parking lot,” said Rhonda Thompson, M.S.N.-Ed, R.N., CA-SANE, Texas Health Fort Worth’s Medical Simulation Program manager. “By meeting individuals where they are, healthcare professionals and students can eliminate long-distance travel, gain essential skills and immediately return to their normal schedules.”
Texas has more rural residents, 4.3 million people, than any other state in the nation and is the second largest state geographically.
“The purpose today is to connect with Johnson County EMS, and they are bringing in their EMTs and paramedics to cycle through for training,” Thompson said.
The mobile lab — the largest of its kind in North Texas — is a fully renovated Freightliner outfitted with a simulated patient room, training equipment and a multipurpose classroom. Inside, responders can practice critical lifesaving skills in a controlled, realistic environment.
The mobile unit is an expanded service of Texas Health Fort Worth’s Amon G. Carter Medical Simulation Training Center, located above the hospital’s Emergency Department.
The unit has visited Johnson County Emergency Services District No. 1 over the past two weeks to provide local first responders with hands-on experience.
“It’s got a patient room that looks just like a real one, with equipment and even a mannequin patient,” Thompson said. “Then we have a multipurpose area where we can debrief or do additional training.”
Participants rotated through stations focused on high-risk, high-skill procedures such as intubation, IV insertion and intraosseous access. Inside the unit, crews worked through simulated emergency scenarios, including pediatric asthma attacks and drowning incidents.
“We’re practicing intubation, IV insertion — all those critical skills,” Thompson said. “Some providers don’t get to perform them often, so this gives them a chance to really build that muscle memory.”
The simulations are interactive, requiring paramedics to assess situations, administer medications and make real-time decisions while the mannequin responds accordingly.
Training scenarios are all customized to meet specific organizational needs, and each adheres to best practices established by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.
The program is especially valuable for rural departments, where staffing limitations and distance can make traditional training difficult.
“For some rural fire departments and hospitals, it’s hard to send an entire crew to Fort Worth,” Thompson said. “If we can come to their parking lot, they can train and go right back to work — and that’s proven to be really effective.”
Local EMS say the mobile lab has already made a noticeable impact.
“This has been such a huge asset,” JCESD paramedic Chloe Carothers said. “Being able to get hands-on training with newer equipment and run through real-life scenarios helps our providers translate that directly into patient care.”
Departments across the county — including volunteer agencies supported by emergency services districts — have been invited to participate, with multiple agencies already taking advantage of the opportunity.
The mobile lab is part of Texas Health Fort Worth’s broader simulation training program and was fully funded through philanthropic support. Its goal is to expand access to high-quality medical education while ultimately improving patient outcomes across North Texas.
“By meeting individuals where they are, healthcare professionals and students can eliminate long-distance travel, gain essential skills and immediately return to their normal schedules,” Thompson said.
As Texas continues to grow, so does the need for healthcare workers, including emergency medical technicians and nurses. Although the number of new nurses is growing, the increase is not enough to meet expected needs. By 2032, the demand for registered nurses in Texas is expected to grow by 38.8%, leaving a deficit of more than 57,000 RNs statewide.
Compounding the situation is that rural residents, on average, drive 60 miles just to reach a hospital.
“The new unit enables us to increase our training time with EMT teams, interact with rural health facilities and fire departments, and establish beneficial relationships with school nurses and students,” said Laura McWhorter, Texas Health Resources Foundation president. “Mobile simulation is helping to provide critical health education and, more importantly, Texas Health is improving patient outcomes in the surrounding areas, no matter where North Texans live.”
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