MSJC Students to Assist LLUMC-Murrieta During State Medical Exercise

Students from Mt. San Jacinto College’s nursing and emergency medical technology programs will volunteer at Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta during the upcoming Statewide Medical & Health Training and Exercise.

A group of 26 students will join Dr. Peter Zografos, assistant director of MSJC’s Associate Degree in Nursing Program and clinical coordinator for the Nursing and Allied Health Unit, for the event on Nov. 21.

This year the statewide exercise involves a simulation of a widespread food-borne illness that causes a rush of patients to the hospital. Each volunteer will receive a situation card that describes the illness and any other conditions, such as medications and emotional state, that apply to their need for care.

Loma Linda Medical Center Murrieta is performing the drill to test its response to emergencies. The hospital will declare Code Triage, an internal/external disaster, and will go into full response mode. Loma Linda Medical Center Murrieta has other hospital-based volunteers who will also participate in the exercise.

"Loma Linda Medical Center appreciates the support of MSJC in performing this important exercise," said Kathryn M. Stiles, hospital spokeswoman. 

"Exercises such as these are essential for the hospital to practice disaster preparedness and to test our staff and our systems. Without the additional volunteers provided by MSJC it would more difficult for us to create a realistic scenario."

Dr. Kathleen Winston, MSJC’s dean of Nursing and Allied Heath, said the faculty, staff members and students routinely commit to volunteer efforts in the communities within MSJC’s 1,700-square-mile district. The district stretches from the San Gorgonio Pass in the north to Temecula in the south.

“When Loma Linda University Medical Center invited us to partner with them to support the community in its disaster preparedness exercise, we were honored to participate,” Winston said. “We hope this first volunteerism partnership between Loma Linda University Medical Center and MSJC is the beginning of a long and strong education-clinical relationship.”