In celebration of National Nursing Week, the http://www.trentu.ca/nursing/” target=”_blank”>Trent/Fleming School of Nursing launched the new Nursing Clinical Simulation Learning Centre on Wednesday, May 14, at the Life and Health Sciences Building at Trent University.
The grand opening of the simulation lab is a fitting example of this year’s Nursing Week theme, “A Leading Force for Change”. The Clinical Simulation Learning Centre (CSLC) is the latest development in the Nursing program, and incorporates Trent’s new technological resources, expanding capabilities in nursing education, and increased interprofessional development opportunities.
“Simulation of real-life patient situations is an important part of nursing education, and creates a safe environment for nursing students to learn a variety of skills, including how to communicate with patients, and how to perform both basic and advanced nursing interventions,” said Meaghen Regts, Clinical Simulation Centre Coordinator, Trent-Fleming School of Nursing. “Our goal is to build the simulation learning facilities at Trent into a regional centre that can become a hub for innovative, hands-on learning for students and professionals across Ontario.”
The CSLC represents a new level of professional education and collaboration with other universities and health centres, particularly the School of Nursing’s partnerships with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) and the Peterborough County-City Health Unit (PCCHU). The simulation centre will use tools like high-fidelity manikins and patient actors to simulate real-life healthcare events. These updated technologies and educational programs will function within the School of Nursing’s existing laboratories, and will ensure that students are fully educated in all of the skills, techniques and critical reasoning required to be successful before they work with the general public or vulnerable populations.
“The Trent/Fleming School of Nursing is known for preparing excellent practitioners,” said Dr. Kirsten Woodend, Dean of the School. “The expansion of our simulation program and space positions us to continue providing nursing students with the education, hands-on experience and insight that they will need in order to practice in a rapidly changing and increasingly challenging healthcare environment.”
The use of simulations in nursing education has increased dramatically since 2005, when the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced funding to begin integrating simulation into nursing education. Since then, the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing has actively incorporated simulations into its program, going so far as to introduce simulations within the first term of nursing students’ first year.