By Sky Pinkett
Staff Writer
On Aug. 29, the College welcomed the Impractical Jokers to the nursing school’s simulation lab to film a prank for their latest episode, “Hoop! There It Is!” which aired on Sep. 9.
The Impractical Jokers are a trio of men, Sal Vulcano, James Murray and Brian Quinn, who dare each other to perform public pranks. Their show, also called “Impractical Jokers,” captures these pranks and airs them on national television.
“The Impractical Jokers production team first reached out to me by email, looking for a nursing or medical program that incorporated standardized patients (patient actors) into its simulations,” Chelsea Lebo, who is the simulation coordinator for the College’s simulation and clinical learning resource center, told the Signal. “We responded right away with interest, and from there the planning process began.”
For those uninvolved in the College’s nursing program, the nursing simulation labs are meant to nurture a controlled environment where nursing students can practice treating patients in realistic medical scenarios.
“Whether with high-fidelity manikins, standardized patients (patient actors), or even virtual reality, the simulation helps nursing students build confidence in their skills, decision-making, communication, and critical thinking before they step into real patient care,” Lebo said.
The nursing simulation lab provides students with positive and constructive feedback from the patient actor at the end of their scenario in order to mold the students into better medical professionals.
For the Impractical Jokers, however, the objective of their prank was seeing who could be the worst medical professional in a clinical scenario.
“For the episode, the prank was that the Jokers posed as medical or nurse practitioner students taking part in a simulation with standardized patients, who believed they were working with real students.” Lebo explained. “Just like in an actual doctor’s visit, the Jokers were tasked with assessing their ‘patients.’”
These assessments included outlandish diagnoses, unprofessional bedside manner and other bizarre behaviors that each Joker was tasked with carrying out when it was their turn. When it came time for the patient actor to rate the performance of those they thought to be “medical students” on a scale of one to ten, these scores would determine which Joker ultimately won the prank.
“Being featured on Impractical Jokers puts TCNJ Nursing in the spotlight in the best way — showing off not just our program, but also the fun, energy, and creativity our simulation staff, faculty, students, and standardized patients bring,” Lebo remarked. “It’s a chance for people across the country to see that while we work hard in the classroom and simulation lab, we also know how to laugh and build community.
“Plus, it gives everyone at TCNJ a little extra pride seeing our nursing program on national TV!” she added.
According to Lebo, preparation for the Jokers’ arrival took almost a year, beginning in Fall 2024 and continuing throughout this past summer.
The long wait paid off, as the episode is the latest one of the show. Season 12, Episode 9, “Hoop! There It Is!” is available to watch on multiple streaming platforms.
Lebo, who got to take a group photo with the Jokers and fellow nursing colleagues at the end of filming, reflected on the positive impact this exciting event has had on the nursing department and on the College as a whole.
“While nursing education is rigorous and demanding, this lighthearted spotlight reminds us that joy, teamwork, and community are also at the heart of the TCNJ experience. Being featured on Impractical Jokers not only celebrates the creativity and spirit of our nursing students, but also shines a national spotlight on the pride and energy that make TCNJ special.” she said. “It’s a moment our program—and the entire campus—will remember with a smile for years to come.”
Check out a preview of the episode here.
