What the Simulation Lab Means for Lebanon
Lebanon now has a simulation lab at the Robert W. Plaster Center for Student Success, a step forward for our town. A simulation lab is a training space that looks and works like a real hospital, with lifelike manikins that breathe, blink, talk, and respond to care. Nurses, doctors, EMTs, and students can practice real scenarios with no risk to real patients, then pause, debrief, and run them again until the steps are second nature.
Teams can train for a cardiac arrest, a difficult delivery, a pediatric asthma attack, or a trauma case. They learn to speak up, hand off patients clearly, and lead under pressure so mistakes do not happen at the bedside.
“This is a very exciting day and a very exciting project,” said Dustin Childress, Ph.D., President of OTC Education Centers.
Mayor Jared Carr called it a community win: “What a proud day for the city of Lebanon and for the future of healthcare and public safety in our community.” He added, “Train here, stay here, and care here.”
Superintendent David Schmitz tied it to learning that starts close to home: “Try this on for a minute, the community is the classroom.
OTC Chancellor Hal L. Higdon noted demand: “We run a very, very busy simulation center in Springfield. It’s booked out every day.”
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe praised the partnership: “Very rarely do you see a city come together with a community like they have with the school district with OTC.”
The lab will also serve first responders who need complex, hands on practice close to home. It strengthens teamwork, builds confidence, and helps keep talent local. Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri State University also have simulation labs in Springfield. More practice here means safer care here for families in Lebanon when it matters most.
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