- KMITL launches Thailand’s first Innovative Nursing major, blending high-tech tools like AI, VR, and realistic mannequins with hands-on learning to address the country's critical nursing shortage.
- The program emphasizes human-centric care, emotional intelligence, and real-world training in simulated hospital environments and public hospitals.
- Students gain international exposure and entrepreneurial skills, collaborating across disciplines to become adaptable, future-ready healthcare innovators.
Amid growing healthcare demands and an ageing population in Thailand, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Bangkok has launched an ambitious and forward-thinking program to redefine nursing education. The newly introduced Innovative Nursing major, approved in January and rolled out in March, aims to prepare a new generation of nurses equipped with cutting-edge technology and a deeply human-centric approach to care. As the country faces a pressing shortage of nurses with an average of one nurse per 316 people, and even lower ratios in rural regions the need for highly skilled, adaptable professionals is more urgent than ever.
Assistant Professor Buhnga Tanopas, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, emphasized that the program is designed not just to train nurses, but to cultivate healthcare innovators. She noted that students will be trained to use sophisticated tools, including artificial intelligence, to adapt and lead in any healthcare setting. What sets the program apart is its integration of advanced simulation-based learning with real-world clinical training.
Students practice in high-tech simulation centers using lifelike mannequins such as SimMan, SimBaby, and SimMom each costing over a million baht to gain hands-on experience in managing a wide range of medical scenarios.
Virtual Reality (VR) further enhances the learning experience by immersing students in complex healthcare situations, enabling repeated practice and deeper understanding. Beyond technical proficiency, the program emphasizes the development of soft skills such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving. Students are encouraged to think innovatively, communicate effectively, and address both individual patient needs and broader health challenges.
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One classroom experience highlighted the emotional depth of the training: a student, moved to tears after failing to save a simulated patient, expressed a renewed determination to improve and offer the best possible care in real-life scenarios. This emotional engagement underscores the program's focus on compassion and integrity.
KMITL also prepares students for global healthcare careers, offering international exchange opportunities and training in electronic health systems and entrepreneurship. Collaboration with other KMITL departments fosters interdisciplinary learning, encouraging students to integrate insights from engineering, design, and computer science to improve healthcare delivery. Built on a foundation of curiosity, innovation, and compassion, KMITL’s Innovative Nursing program is shaping nurses who are not only caregivers but also future leaders in healthcare.
