Even those in the medical field have made the mistake of thinking that medical manikins mean CPR and CPR alone. After all, those are the most common types of manikins for first aid training. However, there are several other kinds, each and every one of them made for a different purpose. While on the subject of the CPR manikins though, it’s important to note that they also are made for multiple uses in some case. It’s not uncommon to find a CPR unit that also has water rescue capabilities or is designed to be used for choking techniques. Some of the simplest designs for medical manikins include torso only manikins as well as patient care manikins. Both are supposed to be rather plain and are suitable for a wide range of training purposes. You should also keep in mind that those medical manikins are perfect for traveling. On the other hand, some medical manikins are incredibly specialized. For example, some of the CPR manikins are equipped with lights and computer components to indicate that the user has his or her hands in the correct place, compression rate is correct, and that depression depth is correct for the simulated victim. You can also find medical manikins of every kind with memory chips and even printers to give students a detailed evaluation of their performance. What sizes are medical manikins available in? Being a part of the health care or emergency response field, you already know that people aren’t a one size fits all deal. The medical manikin manufacturers have done all they can to ensure that there is a diverse selection in terms of size. Pediatrics, emergency response teams, and day care employees especially have need of the infant and child sized medical manikins. Adolescent and adult sizes tend to be the most popular though, for everyday first aid training and display. In order to decide on the correct sized medical manikin, take a look at the needs of your office or organization and plan accordingly. Many places make the sound decision to have at least one of each size manikin available. What are some features all good medical manikins have in common, regardless of their specialized elements? It doesn’t really matter if you need a CPR manikin or one that is designed to assist in arrhythmia simulation. If it isn’t made well, it really isn’t worth your time. When you are looking to purchase a new medical manikin for your organization, be sure to consider factors like construction materials. Heavy duty plastic is good because it is easily cleaned and lasts a long time. Especially in terms of the water rescue manikins, you want to be sure that it is made with rust resistant steel for the longest life. Choosing the right medical manikin in terms of materials is mostly common sense. Any good retailer or manufacturer should be more than willing to answer any questions you may have about the quality and construction of their medical manikins.

While CPR manikins are used for training medical professionals, day care workers, and anyone who wants to have this valuable skill, water rescue manikins are more specialized. For the most part, they are used by organizations and people in the emergency response field. Naturally, lifeguards fall into this category, as well as water rescue workers. During and to keep rescue skills sharp, these manikins are designed to simulate an actual emergency. What special features do water rescue manikins have to simulate the kinds of emergencies that come up in the water? Anyone who has ever tried to move another person in the water knows that this feat can be almost impossible if the other person offers any kind of resistance. During a water rescue, unless the victim is unconscious, they tend to be incredibly frightened and resisting rescuers is a common occurrence. Water rescue manikins are designed to help personnel train for this possibility. They are equipped with special tanks that allow for the trainer to fill them with water and in some cases, a brick, to cause the manikin to sink further in the water and be more difficult to move.

Another important feature you will find in the best quality water rescue manikins are the articulated joints. A stiff lifeless body is the last thing you want to find in the water and it is also rather unlikely. To assist in the proper training of crucial water rescue teams, manufacturers have added moveable joints to their manikins. It’s just another way to ensure that training exercises are as close to real life as possible.