'Zombie attack' helps Bournemouth healthcare students

Healthcare students have been dealing with the aftermath of an apparent zombie attack in an underground car park.

However, the "major incident simulation event" involved Bournemouth healthcare students and those studying make-up and not the real walking dead.

The paramedic, nursing, and mental health students took part in the large training session at the university's Studland House building.

They treated multiple casualties with an array of injuries.

The simulation involved first year Bournemouth University healthcare students, and second and third year make-up for media and performance students from Arts University Bournemouth.

Adam Bancroft, programme lead for paramedic science, said: "We're not doing bite injuries and no one's coming back from the dead.

"The zombie theme is a bit of fun because... the last thing we want to do is try and re-enact anything.

"So if you start with a fun and whimsical or creative backstory then you can be a bit inventive and artistic with it."

Simulation lead Una Brosnan said the experience was "very intense" for those involved, but that it was "not about scaring the students, it's about them learning".

Student Samuel Priestley told the BBC: "We watched a little clip where there's a zombie apocalypse, trying to set the scene.

"But it's quite different when you walk in there and there's actors shouting, and blood... so it's quite overwhelming.

"There's very few unique experiences where you get to do this in an underground car park."

Evie Clayton added: "We thought there'd be an explosion or something, and then they said zombie apocalypse and we were like 'what?'

"Because you actually have people screaming and blood coming out, and they're actually telling you they're going to die... it does feel like you're actually helping them and it's really surreal."

Former student Sophie Holt, a critical care paramedic at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, was on hand to help.

She said it was her first zombie incident.

"I'm not sure that's something that happens very often in Wiltshire," she explained.

Bournemouth University has carried out similar simulations before.

Last year, its students coped admirably in the wake of a Godzilla-style attack. On another occasion they faced a Martian invasion.

Mr Bancroft said: "We'll carry on doing that because it makes me laugh, and it is about celebrating what they've learned."

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