Don’t be alarmed by increased activity at Georgia Highlands College’s Floyd County campus on Cedartown Highway today. Nursing students will be participating in a day-long Disaster Simulation Training Exercise designed to prepare them for real-world emergency situations. Second-year nursing students will be tasked with triaging actors portraying victims with a variety of injuries, testing their assessment and critical thinking skills under simulated pressure. The exercise is a collaborative effort made possible through the assistance of volunteers and local emergency management agencies, ensuring a realistic and valuable learning experience for the students. “The best way to prepare our nursing students for disasters is through simulation,” said Director of Nursing Rebecca Maddox. “By involving police and EMS in our simulation, students have the opportunity to work on their collaborative communication skills in addition to utilizing their critical thinking and assessment skills for triage and treatment.” The simulation provides a crucial opportunity for students to hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment, preparing them to effectively respond to future emergencies.