A variety of manikins are used for medical training in situations ranging from cardiac arrest to severe trauma caused by an accident. Adult manikins made specifically for basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training typically have only a head and torso, whereas advanced CPR manikins typically have a full body. Male CPR manikins make up the majority of adult CPR manikins, but female and obese male manikins are also available. Manikins for children are frequently full-body, and infant manikins are almost always full-body.
When the head tilt/chin lift portion of CPR is properly performed, the airways in basic CPR manikins open. The chest rises visibly when air is breathed into the mouth. The xiphoid process at the bottom of the sternum can be felt to ensure proper hand placement for chest compressions, just like on a real person. When the compression pressure is correct, some models have an audible clicker.
A rate monitor is included in slightly more complex models, and it provides immediate feedback on the rate of compression being performed to both instructors and students. Stoplights are another type of feedback used by some brands of CPR manikins. A red light appears when the number of compressions reaches 60, indicating that compressions must be made faster. When there are 80 compressions per minute, a yellow light appears. When the person reaches 100 compressions per minute, the light turns green to encourage them to keep going.
Advanced cardiac life support training can also be done with more complex CPR manikins (ACLS). In addition to chest compressions and ventilation, this level of life support includes endotracheal intubation, electrical defibrillation, and intravenous fluids and medications. Even for adult manikins, advanced CPR manikins are usually full body. All of these functions can be practiced on these manikins.
These full-body advanced CPR manikins also have adjustable chest rigidity to simulate various body types, flexible defibrillator electrodes, and a mouth, nose, and throat that can be intubated with standard tubes. These manikins can also be given injections and have their blood pressure taken. Each manufacturer’s software allows them to program a variety of health scenarios into the manikin, allowing them to prepare for almost any illness or trauma.
These manikins have been meticulously crafted to be as lifelike as possible. To keep costs down, the torso manikins are more limited. These, too, have skin that feels very real. Advanced manikins may have programmable eyelid blink rate, pupil size, and reaction time; they may cry real tears, and their skin may turn bluish or pale. All of these factors, as well as others, make “treating” the manikin very realistic, making it easier to transfer those skills to treating a live person.