Facilities

A large part of educating learners in the health professions students is preparing them for future practice. Much of today’s healthcare environment relies on technology, particularly an electronic health record (EHR). The Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center has felt the challenge of providing this opportunity to the students who participate in simulation. For the past several years, documentation during simulation events occurred through the use of paper charts, which is not consistent with current practice. Partnerships with area health care facilities for use of their electronic medical records in a training mode have been unsuccessful and the purchase of a commercially available simulated documentation system was not a cost-effective solution.

For all of these reasons, our simulation staff developed a simulated EHR using advanced features available within PowerPoint. The advanced features embedded in the PowerPoint slides allow students to interact with the EHR synchronously as the simulation unfolds.

Patient data within the simulated EHR comes from a variety of sources and are modified to reflect the needs of the scenario being used in a simulation. For example, the pediatrics nursing course uses case studies from CAE’s evidenced-based clinical simulation experiences entitled “Program for Nursing Curriculum Integration” (PNCI®). While the CAE PNCI® case studies are designed to work with high-fidelity manikins, there was no integrated EHR to mimic what occurs with real patient encounters. The integration of the patient information contained within the PNCIs® was populated into the simulated EHR. In addition, the simulated EHR has been designed in such a way that other scenarios, whether written by faculty or other commercial sources, can be easily incorporated and used in simulations.

Various tabs such as patient summary, laboratory and diagnostic test results, assessment flowsheet, progress notes, provider orders, medication administration record, and resources are available in this simulated EHR. As it is built by the simulation coordinator, tabs and flowsheets are easily customizable for different disciplines or simulated healthcare settings.

Documentation during simulation can improve learners’ proficiency with electronic documentation upon entrance into the clinical setting after graduation (Herbert & Connors, 2016; Curry, 2010). Simulation provides these future professionals with a safe space to refine their skills in data collection, patient care planning, and documentation (Mountain, 2014). Having a place to document during simulation also gives faculty an opportunity to assess learners’ competency. It is our hope to provide every simulated experience necessary to ensure that graduates from Salisbury University are well prepared for entry into the workforce.

Patient safety is a key focus in the healthcare setting and safe medication administration is critical to patient safety. While medication calculations and administration practices are incorporated into many simulation scenarios, for many years, The Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center did not have a medication dispensing unit to mimic the process of retrieving medication in the clinical setting. Purchasing a commercially available medication dispensing unit is staggering was not a cost-effective solution for the Center.

With this in mind, the simulation staff developed a simulated medication dispensing unit. The unit includes a lockable medication dispensing cart and a laptop with an interactive medication dispensing system. The medication dispensing system was created using advanced features available with PowerPoint. The advanced features embedded in the PowerPoint slides enables learners to follow the standard medication safety procedures to retrieve medication. Using the interactive PowerPoint medication dispensing system, learners must identify the correct patient, medication, and dose. At that time, the system will designate the drawer that contains the medication, allowing the learners to then prepare for administering the medication. Patient information and medications are easily customizable.

Simulation provides future professionals with a safe space to refine their skills. It is our hope to provide every simulated experience necessary to ensure that graduates from Salisbury University are well prepared for entry into the workforce.

The Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center is dedicated to providing high-quality simulation experiences to all users. Available to all facilitators is access to an extensive library of pre-developed, evidence-based scenarios for a multitude of health professions. A part of this library includes case studies from CAE’s clinical simulation experiences entitled “Program for Nursing Curriculum Program” (PNCI®), educational toolkits from local simulation experts, and scenarios from other leading educational institutions. Scenario packages and toolkits are available for a variety of health disciplines, environments, and cases. Examples include: fundamentals, medical-surgical, chronic disease, obstetrics, community, pediatrics, infants, behavioral health, and leadership.

To ensure smooth implementation of scenarios into the curriculum, the Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center’s team is available for consultation. It is our hope to provide every simulated experience necessary to ensure that graduates from Salisbury University are well prepared for entry into the workforce.

The Adult Health Simulation Suite is designed to provide a variety of patient scenarios; from the learner’s first experience of caring for an adult hospitalized for a common surgical procedure to handling the intensity of an adult patient in cardiac arrest with an interdisciplinary team. Through the use of props and a change in furniture, the room has the potential to transform into a home care or community based care setting.

The room provides learners with an opportunity to use state-of-the-science equipment including mechanical ventilators, intensive care monitors, defibrillators, and intravenous access and infusion equipment. Additionally, the fully functioning headwall enables learners to access oxygen, medical air, and suction equipment as needed. The internal telephone system allows learners to communicate with other simulated healthcare departments (e.g. laboratory, radiology, physician services) and family members.

With multiple HD cameras and microphones, simulation scenarios can be video captured for review by learners and facilitators during debriefing. Careful consideration of what occurred during the simulation and how it could be improved builds learner knowledge, confidence, and quality of care in real life.

Learn more about the high-fidelity manikin housed in this suite.

Labor and delivery are routine components of health care, but they are highly unpredictable and high risk even under the best circumstances. The LDRP Suite provides a realistic environment where learners can provide obstetrical care with a focus on safety and teamwork.

Using a high-fidelity birthing simulator and a high-fidelity newborn simulator, learners can experience common clinical scenarios, as well as high-risk, life-threatening complications. Standardized patients (highly-trained actors) can also be incorporated into the scenario, either as the pregnant patient or as the patient’s support partner. To simulate pregnancy, standardized patients wear an empathy belly.

The room provides learners with an opportunity to use state-of-the-science equipment such as a birthing bed, fetal monitoring devices, an infant warmer, T-piece resuscitator, and umbilical infusion lines. Additionally, the fully functioning headwall (enclosed by cabinetry to mimic the real-life clinical setting) enables learners to access oxygen, medical air, and suction equipment as needed and the internal telephone system allows learners to communicate with other simulated healthcare departments (e.g. laboratory, radiology, physician services) and family members.

With multiple HD cameras and microphones, simulation scenarios can be video captured for review by learners and facilitators during debriefing. Careful consideration of what occurred during the simulation and how it could be improved builds learner knowledge, confidence, and quality of care in real life.

Learn more about the high-fidelity manikin housed in this suite.

Designed to replicate a neonatal intensive care unit, the NICU Suite provides opportunities for learners to practice their skills in caring for premature babies and those with serious, life-threatening conditions in an environment without the added anxiety of concerned parents. Live clinical experiences with premature and sick babies are limited and very sick infants require highly specialized care unavailable on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. At area hospitals, opportunities for experiences with premature infants and other medically unstable infants are infrequent and unpredictable.

Learning through simulation is critical in this high-risk specialty and requires effective interdisciplinary collaboration to provide patient care. A high-fidelity newborn simulator provides experiences with a premature baby or full-term, medically unstable baby. Working in interdisciplinary teams, learners practice clinical decision-making as they manage advanced scenarios in a safe environment.

The room provides learners with an opportunity to use state-of-the-science equipment such as an infant warmer, infant isolette, Neopuff_TM infant T-piece resuscitator, and umbilical infusion lines. Additionally, the fully functioning headwall enables learners to access oxygen, medical air, and suction equipment as needed and the internal telephone system allows learners to communicate with other simulated healthcare departments (e.g. laboratory, radiology, physician services) and family members.

With multiple HD cameras and microphones, simulation scenarios can be video captured for review by learners and facilitators during debriefing. Careful consideration of what occurred during the simulation and how it could be improved builds learner knowledge, confidence, and quality of care in real life.

Learn more about the high-fidelity manikin housed in this suite.

In the pediatric simulation suite, learners become skilled in managing the care of acutely and chronically ill children who range in age from just a few months old through adolescence. Live clinical experiences with very sick children are limited on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, so learning through simulations is especially important in this high-risk, unpredictable specialty.

This suite was designed to be adaptable, to replicate several clinical settings: an acute care pediatric hospital room, an emergency department setting, or a medical office. Simulation scenarios increase in complexity and sometimes require interdisciplinary collaboration.

Equipped with a high-fidelity patient simulator that resembles a 5 year old, learners can work independently or in small groups to refine clinical skills, decision-making, team work, and age-appropriate teaching for the child, parent, and family.

The room provides learners with an opportunity to use state-of-the-science equipment such as intravenous infusion pumps, syringe pumps, and a specialty pediatric examination table with digital scale. Additionally, the fully functioning headwall enables learners to access oxygen, medical air, and suction equipment as needed and the internal telephone system allows learners to communicate with other simulated healthcare departments (e.g. laboratory, radiology, physician services) and family members.

With multiple HD cameras and microphones, simulation scenarios can be video captured for review by learners and facilitators during debriefing.  Careful consideration of what occurred during the simulation and how it could be improved builds learner knowledge, confidence, and quality of care in real life. 

Learn more about the high-fidelity manikin housed in this suite.

At the heart of all healthcare is excellent communication. Learning how to interact effectively with people who are experiencing challenges due to a change in health status is a vitally important skill. In this area of the center, learners interact with standardized patients (highly-trained actors) who portray a variety of roles, including behavioral health clients, family members, and healthcare providers.  

The two simulation suites are furnished with comfortable seating and an examination table, providing flexibility in the simulated environment.  Most commonly, these rooms are staged to resemble a counselor’s office, a psych/mental health intake area, or an outpatient health setting.  Additionally, the internal telephone system allows learners to communicate with other simulated healthcare departments (e.g. laboratory, pharmacy, physician services) and family members.

With multiple HD cameras and microphones, simulation scenarios can be video captured for review by learners and facilitators during debriefing.  Careful consideration of what occurred during the simulation and how it could be improved builds learner knowledge, confidence, and quality of care in real life.

Learn more about the high-fidelity manikin housed in this suite.

Experts agree that debriefing is the most important aspect of every simulation experience. A structured debriefing session guides learners through a reflection of their experience and how they were thinking. Learners also review what went well and how improvements would be made in a real-life setting. Through a review of the recorded simulation and facilitators and peer observations, the debriefing room provides a safe environment to help learners see the strengths and weaknesses of their performance.

The first debriefing space provides comfortable seating for 8 around a large conference table. The room is equipped with a computer, wireless overhead projector, and large whiteboard to allow for easy review of simulation recordings, and physiologic data from the simulators if applicable.

Our second debriefing space has seating for approximately 12 people and is equipped with a high-definition monitor, video conferencing capabilities, room-darkening shades, and dimmable lights.

Our third debriefing space provides seating for up to 24 people and is equipped with a computer, wireless overhead projector and smartboard technology, AirMedia® software and capabilities, room-darkening shades, and dimmable lights. This room also has a sink and generous counter space. If desired, activities in this room can be video-recorded.

Our fourth debriefing space can seat 12-16 people comfortably. It is equipped with a computer, wireless overhead projector, AirMedia® software and capabilities, room darkening shades, and dimmable lights.

The debriefing spaces can also be used to provide educational courses for area healthcare providers and community members, including HeartCode® and Heartsaver® life support courses through the American Heart Association and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP®) through American Academy of Pediatrics. A complete listing of our course offerings can be found on our Continuing Education Courses webpage.

These technology-packed rooms are the nerve-center of the Center. Designed in pairs, each control room has the capability to remotely monitor any of the simulation rooms at any given time. A simulation coordinator or technician has the ability to control the high-fidelity patient simulators and their physiologic parameters, speak for the manikin, provide a voice on the phone or intercom, and operate all cameras in any room.

Each control room is filled with high-tech equipment including voice-activated headsets, video-capture equipment, remote-controls for camera operations, computers and monitors, as well as a built-in desk and comfortable seating.

Donna and Avery Parks Nurses’ Station Named in honor of alumna, Donna Parks (BSN, 1979) and her husband, the nurses station is equipped with a computer, telephone, whiteboard, chart rack, adult and pediatric crash carts, and multiple computer workstations on wheels. In the near future, a Pyxis® automated medication dispensing device will also be installed thanks to a grant from the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium (MCSRC), a statewide funding initiative, which is part of the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) Nurse Support Program II (NSP II). With videorecording capabilities, scenarios can be designed to capture experiences with hand-off report, medication preparation, documentation, and interprofessional communication among others.