RIVERSIDE (July 3, 2013)--Students from California Baptist University's School of Nursing placed first in the 2013 CAE Cup Nursing Student Challenge at the HPSN (Human Patient Simulation Network) World 2013 Conference meeting in San Francisco June 30-July 2.

Genevieve Monge and Brenda Ruiz, both senior nursing majors, each received a trophy cup and $250 for winning the competition. Rebecca Weldon, also a senior nursing major, prepared for the contest as an alternate.

"I am tremendously proud of them," said Susan Nelson, assistant professor of nursing. "We practiced for about 48 hours to prepare for the competition. What they learned will transfer to practice."

The event, sponsored by CAE, a global leader in simulation technology, features a critical care skills competition where teams compete in emergency scenarios through risk-free simulation. The contest includes two divisions: one for nursing students and one for emergency medical service personnel.

Nelson said this year's nursing scenario involved a patient who had undergone surgery, been given medication and was experiencing complications that could be either a hemorrhage or a respiratory issue. Students were given 20 minutes to use critical thinking and practice skills to determine that the patient's respiratory problems were a result of the medication.

"Of all the teams, ours was the youngest as far as where they are in the program," Nelson said. "All three of our students are just entering their senior year, and one hasn't even had a course yet in critical care. It was fun to watch how they improved as they practiced for the competition. They will be phenomenal nurses."

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