Nurses experience old age through innovative simulation suit

Nurses can now experience the physical effects of old age – by wearing an age simulation suit.

The gerontologic test suit (GERT) is being used to enhance training at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, and staff will be able to feel joint stiffness, loss of strength, reduced grip and poorer coordination and head mobility.

The suit, which costs £2,000, was bought using donations from the trust’s charitable funds. It can also change vision and simulate hearing loss.

John Coupland Hospital lead clinical nurse Sister Donna Phillips researched the benefits of using the suit after seeing one on social media.

She said: ‘This suit is going to be a valuable addition to the resources available to us for training, and in helping our colleagues empathise with some of the conditions which commonly affect our patients.

‘I always like to try and use experiential learning in teaching sessions as it makes it much more meaningful to those taking part.

‘I am particularly looking forward to being able to use the tremor simulator as part of our Parkinson's Disease awareness sessions.’