Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

Here are today’s updates:

• Best Place to Train, Best Place to Work: Simulation Center

Best Place to Train, Best Place to Work: Simulation Center

With Stormont Vail Health’s dedication to being the best place to train, the best place to work, and the best place to grow your career in our region, our organization not only has a focus on educational opportunities, but training resources as well. One area that is currently getting a large makeover is our Simulation Center to support training needs.

The Simulation Center was originally developed for training of staff and students a decade ago. Operated by Learning and Talent Development (LTD), the center has utilized an 1,800-square-foot simulation lab which includes three simulation rooms and a conference room. However, with the continued growth of educational offerings, the program was running out of space. That being said, support for the Stormont Vail Health Simulation Center from the Operating Committee, Stormont Vail Foundation, Topeka Public Schools, Topeka Center for Advanced Learning & Careers (TCALC0, Baker School of Nursing (BSON), fundraisers, and public grants has been monumental to our growth and success.

Thanks to the generous support of our Foundation, our senior leaders and the receipt of a DRAW Grant, in April 2024, construction began for a 4,100 square foot Simulation Center. The new Simulation Center includes four patient simulation rooms designed to replicate real patient rooms available at Stormont Vail. They are more versatile, equipped with moveable walls to allow for the transition of two acute patient rooms into a larger operating room suite or trauma bay. One simulation room is outfitted with full immersion technology to transport our learners to a virtual world aimed at maximizing the fidelity of our simulation experiences. The Stormont Vail Simulation Center also includes a large conference room for pre-briefing and debriefing purposes.

In June 2024, funding and support for the development of the new simulation center includes two new, state of the art, high fidelity manikins from Gaumard Scientific: SusieS2000 and HalS5301. Susie and Hal are armed with some of the highest technology on the market and the versatility in the functions of these new manikins support our learners in every program offered—and educational needs to come. Furthermore, these manikins were purchased in a medium skin tone and dark skin tone in order to better align with diversity and inclusion efforts set forth by Stormont Vail. HalS5301 and SusieS2000 join Pediatric Hal, Victoria (birthing simulator) and Super Tory (infant simulator) in our fleet of high-fidelity manikins. 

In an effort to ensure that our team members have the best opportunities to train, Stormont Vail has invested in ensuring the clinical education team is staffed with educators and simulationists with backgrounds in medical-surgical, NICU, ED, ICU, PACU, OR, Surgery Technology, Phlebotomy, MA/CNA, Labor & Delivery and Behavioral Health. LTD anticipates applying for simulation accreditation in fiscal year 2025.

We together,
Dr. Kenagy