The college’s Nursing and Theatre Departments teamed up for a mock mass casualty event that turned an ordinary Monday into a scene straight out of a daytime television drama.

The exercise was designed to train nursing students in mass triage, testing how they would respond to a real-life disaster situation. Several students, from the Theatre Department and beyond helped by transforming their classmates into accident victims with realistic special-effects makeup, fake wounds, and plenty of fake blood.

“My favorite part of this was seeing everyone’s reactions to all the chaos,” said first-year student Sam Pitzer, who took part in the simulation. “One girl looked like she was going to cry afterwards.”

For some, the experience felt strangely familiar.

“I have actually been involved in a mock casualty event for paramedics when I was 13 years old,” explained Nick Gore, junior. “It’s definitely a full-circle moment.”

The collaboration also gave students a chance to show off their special effects skills.

“Since Professor (Rebecca) Crocker taught me the basics in Theatre Makeup class, I’ve gotten pretty good at doing special effects makeup,” said Hannah Dix, senior.

Nursing students worked under pressure to assess injuries, prioritize care, and keep calm while surrounded by the noise, confusion, and emotions that come with an emergency.

“From the moment the simulation began, there was a rush of adrenaline as we quickly assessed patients, triaged injuries, and worked together as a team,” said senior nursing student MaKayla Sprouse. “Even though it was just a simulation, it felt very real. By the end, I felt exhausted but proud of how far I’ve come as a nursing student.”

The event also highlighted the teamwork between departments.

“It was really cool to see how the theatre team played the parts of patients and their injuries,” Sprouse added. “Any nursing student needs to have this experience.”

Nursing Professor Jess Surprenant, who helped coordinate the event, praised both groups for their professionalism and creativity.

“I was honestly blown away by all the students involved,” she said. “Our nursing students demonstrated excellent teamwork and critical assessment skills and the ability to implement life-saving interventions under pressure, and our theatre students far exceeded expectations with their realistic, emotionally charged performances. Their commitment brought an invaluable level of authenticity to the event, making the learning experience deeply impactful for everyone involved.”

By the end of the simulation, students from both departments had the chance to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to a realistic, hands-on setting: an experience that tested their training and showcased the power of collaboration.