Rocky Mountain College OTD Students Build Acute Care Skills at Billings Clinic Simulation Lab
BILLINGS, Mont. — February 2026 — Students in Rocky Mountain College’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program recently participated in an immersive training experience at the Billings Clinic Hospital Simulation (Sim) Lab, strengthening the clinical skills they will use in acute care occupational therapy practice.
This experience reflects one of the core advantages of studying occupational therapy at Rocky Mountain College: hands-on, mentored learning in Billings, Montana, the healthcare hub for much of the state and surrounding region. From this setting, students gain exposure to complex hospital-based care while also preparing to address the occupational therapy needs of rural and underserved communities across Montana.
Managing Lines and Tubes in an Acute Care Environment
During the lab session, OTD students were oriented by a respiratory therapist and a nurse who introduced them to the types of medical equipment commonly seen in an acute care hospital setting, including:
- Tracheostomies
- Nasal cannulas
- Chest tubes
- Catheters
- IV lines and monitors
Students learned what each device is used for and, critically, how occupational therapists must plan treatment and mobility around them. This included strategies for positioning, movement, and patient engagement while maintaining safety and protecting essential medical lines.
After this instruction, the class divided into two groups to apply what they had learned.
Simulated Patient Encounter with a Standardized Patient
One group worked with a retired nurse serving as a standardized patient, simulating a person in an acute care hospital room connected to multiple lines and tubes. In this scenario, students were tasked with:
- Surveying the hospital room and equipment
- Problem-solving how to mobilize the patient safely
- Assisting the patient from bed while managing the lines and devices attached to her
This encounter required students to practice communication, clinical reasoning, and gentle handling—skills that are essential for occupational therapists working in hospital-based occupational therapy, especially in high-acuity settings.
Hands-On Practice with Patient Lifts
The second group worked with faculty member Dr. Hyrum Haroldsen to learn and practice using three types of patient lifts often used in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities:
- Manual sit-to-stand lift
- Electric sit-to-stand lift
- Hoyer (full body) lift
Students practiced:
- When to choose each lift
- How to correctly set up and operate the equipment
- Safe techniques for supporting patient transfers and mobility
Afterward, the two groups switched activities so every student gained experience in both the simulated patient scenario and the lift training.
Why Billings, Montana Is an Ideal Setting for Occupational Therapy Education
This Simulation Lab experience showcases how Rocky Mountain College leverages its location in Billings, Montana to enrich occupational therapy education:
- Billings is the largest city in Montana and a regional healthcare center, home to major hospitals and specialty services.
- Students gain exposure to acute care occupational therapy and interprofessional collaboration with nurses, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare providers.
- At the same time, they are preparing for careers that often extend out into rural hospitals, critical access facilities, and underserved communities throughout the state.
Because Rocky Mountain College’s OTD program emphasizes both urban healthcare exposure and rural healthcare challenges, students can see how acute care occupational therapy fits across the continuum of care—from large hospital systems in Billings to smaller facilities in rural Montana.
“Experiences like the Billings Clinic Sim Lab help our students become confident and thoughtful clinicians,” said Dr. Corwin Sutherin, Program Director of the OTD program. “They learn how to navigate complex equipment, support safe patient mobility, and think as occupational therapists in hospital environments—skills that are highly relevant whether they practice in Billings or in a rural Montana community.”
