The use of simulation has been identified as a critical and indispensable strategy to improve patient safety and quality of care.
By Concordia Connection Staff Writer
Life-threatening events can happen unexpectedly and we will be ready for it. Given the increasing amount of information that staff must know and the limited opportunity for care providers to encounter urgent clinical events, innovative approaches to teaching, practicing, and developing skills to manage emergencies are necessary.
Concordia is establishing a dedicated state-of-the-art Simulation Learning Lab for all care providers, including Urgent Care physicians, Medical/Nursing Students, physicians and Clinical Assistants, Nurses, Respiratory therapists, and others. The centre will enable staff to detect deterioration and manage cardiac arrests and other emergencies.
The simulation lab will ensure that all care providers have access to continuous training and hands-on practice, regardless of their full-time equivalency. This is an important extension of the continuous learning and training program currently in place and offers more hands on learning that will directly impact patients should their condition call for such an intervention.
Thanks to the vision and commitment from Drs. Jayshree and Praful Patel who have donated funds to establish this dedicated centre, in loving memory of their son, Sunil Patel. Concordia is on the last phase of its campaign to complete the lab this year while construction is underway.
We also thank and acknowledge other donors who have stepped up to match the Patel’s donation. Steinbach Credit Union and The Winnipeg Foundation, as well as other generous donors support this vision and encourages others to follow suit. The Centre will be completed and in use in 2024.
Join us in our 2024 Campaign to advance our cutting-edge simulated learning that our patients need and deserve. Learn more here.
The use of simulation has been identified as a critical and indispensable strategy to improve patient safety and quality of care.
Concordia Launches the Patel Simulated Learning Centre
Life-threatening events can happen unexpectedly and we will be ready for it. Given the increasing amount of information that staff must know and the limited opportunity for care providers to encounter urgent clinical events, innovative approaches to teaching, practicing, and developing skills to manage emergencies are necessary.
Concordia is establishing a dedicated state-of-the-art Simulation Learning Lab for all care providers, including Urgent Care physicians, Medical/Nursing Students, physicians and Clinical Assistants, Nurses, Respiratory therapists, and others. The centre will enable staff to detect deterioration and manage cardiac arrests and other emergencies.
The simulation lab will ensure that all care providers have access to continuous training and hands-on practice, regardless of their full-time equivalency. This is an important extension of the continuous learning and training program currently in place and offers more hands on learning that will directly impact patients should their condition call for such an intervention.
Why Simulated Learning is Important
The use of simulation has been identified as a critical and indispensable strategy to improve patient safety and quality of care.
Simulation exercises aim to simulate real-life medical emergency scenarios in a safe and controlled environment to prepare healthcare professionals to deal with these situations effectively.
The use of simulation not only enhances the skills of healthcare professionals but also ensures that they can recognize deterioration early and manage it optimally, which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes. It is crucial to acknowledge that delayed recognition and suboptimal management of deterioration can result in increased mortality and morbidity rates, which highlights the importance of simulation as a proactive approach to enhancing patient safety.
Healthcare simulation is coming of age and has begun to share much with established methods in aviation, spaceflight, nuclear power, shipping and the military. The rapid advance of computer science, bioengineering, and design has met demands from all stakeholders for safer, more effective and efficient ethical healthcare. When the stakes are high and natural settings do not lend themselves to artificial handling for other purposes, simulation methods will find applications.
What Does This Offer?
Simulation offers scheduled, valuable learning experiences that are difficult to obtain in real life. Learners address hands-on thinking skills, including knowledge-in-action, procedures, decision-making, and effective communication.
The freedom to make mistakes and learn from them: Working in a simulated environment allows learners to make mistakes without experts needing to intervene to prevent patient harm. By seeing the outcome of their mistakes, learners gain powerful insight into the consequences of their actions and the need to “get it right.”
The learning experience can be customized: Simulation can accommodate a range of learners, from novices to experts. Beginners can gain confidence and “muscle memory” for tasks that allow them to focus on the more demanding parts of care.
Experts can better master the continuously growing array of new technologies, from minimally invasive surgery and catheter-based therapies to robotics, without putting the first groups of patients at undue risk. Some complex procedures and rare diseases must present more practice opportunities, even to established clinicians.
Detailed feedback and evaluation: Real events and the pace of actual healthcare operations do not allow for the best review and learning about why things took place or how to improve performance.
Controlled simulations can be immediately followed by videotape-supported debriefings or after-action reviews that richly detail what happened. These performance maps and logs provide learners with a solid and necessary feedback mechanism and help instructors target essential improvements.
Safe Learning Environment
Simulated learning provides a safe environment for healthcare professionals and students to practice clinical skills and decision-making without risking patient safety. This allows learners to make mistakes, learn from them, and improve their skills in a controlled setting.
Realistic Scenarios
Simulation technology enables the recreation of realistic patient scenarios, allowing learners to experience various medical situations they might encounter in clinical practice. This realism enhances training effectiveness and prepares healthcare professionals for real-world challenges.
Skill Mastery
Simulated learning allows for repeated practice of specific clinical skills until mastery is achieved. Learners can refine techniques, procedures, and protocols in a controlled environment, leading to increased competence and confidence when delivering patient care.
Collaboration
Simulated learning often involves team-based scenarios, fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals from different disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach mirrors the reality of healthcare delivery and promotes effective communication and teamwork.
Continuous Professional Development
Healthcare is an evolving field with new technologies, treatments, and guidelines emerging regularly. Simulated learning provides opportunities for ongoing professional development, allowing healthcare professionals to stay updated on best practices and innovations.
Cost-Effectiveness
While traditional clinical training may involve costly resources and potential risks to patients, simulated learning offers a cost-effective alternative. It reduces the need for expensive equipment and consumables, minimizes downtime in clinical settings, and mitigates potential harm to patients during training.
Assessment and Evaluation
Simulated learning facilitates objective assessment and evaluation of learners’ performance. Educators can use simulation scenarios to measure clinical competence, critical thinking skills, and decision-making abilities, identifying areas for improvement and tailoring feedback accordingly.
Research and Innovation
Simulation technology provides a platform for research and innovation in healthcare. Educators and researchers can develop and test new teaching methodologies, assess the effectiveness of interventions, and contribute to advancing the science of healthcare simulation.
Simulation learning prepares healthcare professionals to deliver safe, high-quality patient care in dynamic and complex clinical environments.
Join us in our 2024 Campaign to advance our cutting-edge simulated learning that our patients need and deserve. Learn more here.
