Volunteering in Sarnia-Lambton

Standardized Patient / Actor

The Actor Program is a program within the division Academic Excellence and Teaching Innovation, within the Centre for Simulation and Experiential Learning at Lambton College. A Standardized Participant (SP) is an individual who has a willingness to work with students and share their authentic experiences. Volunteers are not required to have a medical condition in order to participate. These volunteers provide faculty and students opportunities to teach, assess, and refine a variety of skills, including communication, interview, diagnostic, and clinical skills.

Students are beginning their learning and use interview skills to examine the health, social, and psychological aspects of a volunteer’s experience with health (either their own or if they have acted as a caregiver). Participants control the depth of information they provide and students, bound by the Health Professional’s Code of Ethics, must keep all video and print information in the strictest of confidence. The use of pseudonyms is required in any written work that the students submit to the supervising faculty.

The Actor Program is a fundamental resource for the curriculum. Our goal is to provide hands-on learning in controlled, simulated environments for our students. Working with standardized participants or SPs allows students to learn and explore a variety of techniques without causing harm.

Duties Include:

• Work in a professional manner when interacting with learners, faculty, supervisors and peers
• Simulate all aspects of the scenario, including history of current problems, affect/behavior and physical finding in a standardized, accurate and reliable manner
• Accurately and consistently complete checklists
• Provide feedback to learners in a consistent and constructive manner using the CORBS method
• Accept ongoing feedback from supervisor/educator and incorporate into case simulation
• Inform the program of changes to contact information such as name, telephone and address.

For high school students these activities can contribute towards the mandatory community service hours required for graduation.
Post-secondary students at institutions like Lambton College, volunteering can earn credits for their Co-Curricular Record (CCR).