The clinical staff members at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital are developing and enhancing their patient care skills with two unconventional patients.
They breathe, their hearts beat and they make bowel sounds. They’ve suffered cardiac arrest, had asthma attacks and diabetic emergencies and, in the case of the female, given birth.
The “patients” are actually two life-sized, interactive manikins named “Sim Man” and “Sim Mom.” They are part of the hospital’s new Dart Foundation Clinical Simulation Lab, where staff can get hands-on training in providing care to patients who are experiencing a wide variety of health care issues.
About 600 staff members, including nurses, physicians, nurse practitioners, paramedics and other clinicians, are expected to receive training in the lab each year. The learning space also features video equipment to record training sessions so staff and instructors can review and learn from the experience.
Supported by the Ephrata Community Health Foundation, the $300,000 classroom was funded by donations and grants, including a $50,000 grant from the Dart Foundation, as well as gifts from community donors and WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital physicians and staff.
“With this new simulation lab, our clinical staff can learn by doing, in a safe environment,” says Tina Citro, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital. “We are grateful to our donors for providing the opportunity for staff to practice their skills, work together as a team and get immediate feedback on what they did.”
The Ephrata Community Health Foundation is a community-based, not-for-profit corporation that exists to inspire gifts and grants to support the health and well-being of northern Lancaster County residents. The Dart Foundation, a private family foundation established by Dart Container Corporation founder William A. Dart and his wife Claire T. Dart, supports projects that enhance education, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, and those that improve the quality of life in specific communities.
WellSpan in the community
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