A state-of-the-art Sim Lab was opened for staff and community training
in September.
Nurses, paramedics, EMTs and physicians will learn and hone skills on the
life-size Sim Man and Sim Baby models, who breathe and talk like live
patients and can be programmed to simulate numerous different real-life
scenarios such as choking or heart problems.
The Sim Lab is equipped with cameras, monitors and a control booth located
behind a one-way mirror, where instructors can observe every move students make.
"Everything is recorded so that after the simulation takes place,
there's an opportunity to debrief and say, 'Let's go back
and look at this part of the scenario – how might we have done this
differently?'" said Linda Basara, St. Luke's director of
education.
The development of the $25,000 Sim Lab was made possible by a generous
donation to St. Luke's Foundation by an anonymous donor.
Members of the St. Luke's School of Nursing Class of 1963, in whose
honor the Sim Lab was dedicated on September 20, shared stories at the
dedication of their training 50 years ago, in which student nurses practiced
intubating one another and giving shots to classmates – a stark
contrast to the technology now offered in the Sim Lab.
"This is important training for our health care professionals here
and in the community," said Catherine Carter Huber, director of St.
Luke's Foundation. "Education is an important part of the Foundation
and this can help not only those here at St. Luke's providing care,
but also those out in the field being the first ones on the scene."
Kathryn Brown, RN, trauma/outreach injury prevention educator, applied
for the grant from the Foundation and will be using the Sim Lab to train
participants in ACLS (advanced cardiovascular life support) and PALS (pediatric
advanced life support) certification classes.
"The playback capability and debriefing are a great opportunity to
keep it positive and break it down into pieces," she said. "Doing
the wrong thing is the right thing to do on a mannequin and the wrong
thing to do on a patient, so it's a good way to practice."
BELOW: Trauma educator Kathryn Brown and nursing staff demonstrate the
capabilities of the Sim Lab to the St. Luke's School of Nursing Class
of 1963, in whose honor a $25,000 donation was given to enable the training
facility development.