Researchers at Prince of Songkla University have built two dummy female patients made of rubber for use in breast cancer detection and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Experts, mostly nurses and hospital staff, together with students in health sciences, have previously relied on expensive models imported from abroad.
"Our rubber-made lifesaving demonstration dummies will become an economical alternative," said Rohani Che-asae, dean of the university's Faculty of Nursing.
Named "Fatila" and "Ariya", the two patient figures will help experts learn how to better provide immediate assistance in emergency cases that involve chest compression as well as examining breasts for cancer.
They will also help experts and students learn ways to help women, especially "how to correctly help Islamic women", said Buntham Nithiuthai, adviser to the rubber-made dummy patient project. He applauded researchers for building the rubber models.
Scholars from the Faculty of Nursing worked on the designs, using the help of sculptors from the Faculty of Fine Art. Experts who specialise in rubber and polymer technology from the Faculty of Science and Technology turned the figures into Fatila and Ariya.
The university will hand Fatila to the Faculty of Nursing for use in medical classrooms and Ariya to Pattani Hospital where staff can practise their lifesaving skills.
