About Us
The establishment of the Mary Smart
Simulation Center in the summer of 2006 was the result of the dedication
and focused efforts of a number of individuals. It started with the
vision of the provost of the Warrington campus, Dr. Marcia Williams, in
designing the “virtual hospital” into the plans for the building in
2001. Two seminal events then served as catalysts to allow the 400 sq.
ft. simulation lab to become the approximately 12,000 sq. ft. Mary
Ekdahl Smart Center for Patient Simulation Training & Research.
The local hospitals, concerned about the nursing shortage, approached
the college and funded planning to expand the associate degree nursing
program. This eventually led to the college receiving a three year $1.3
million dollar U. S. Department of Labor Community-Based Job Training
Grant in November 2005. One objective of the grant was to integrate high
fidelity simulation into the nursing curriculum. Although the funding
was not for purchasing additional simulators or hiring full-time staff,
it did allow for travel, consultants, and faculty development related to
simulation. It also allowed us to furnish the debriefing rooms and
enhance the authenticity of the simulation suites.
The second event was the generous donation of
Bill and Mary Smart to the PJC
Foundation to support the establishment of the Center. His focused gift
allowed for the purchase and installation of the recording system to
complete our ability to implement the debriefing model based on the
Harvard approach to debriefing. The IP addressed system also has allowed
simulations to be projected into classrooms across the district.
The momentum for the growth and development of the Center continued as
the college, leveraging earlier efforts, received a series of state
grants. Also, the college president, Dr. Thomas Delaino, demonstrated
his endorsement and support for the Center by committing over $100,000
of capital outlay and renovation funds to remodel spaces and to upgrade
the technology infrastructure. He also has supported the full-time
staffing of the Center.
Through the commitment of Drs. Delaino and Williams, approximately
12,000 sq. ft. of instructional and related space has been designated
for the Mary Smart Simulation Center. This includes an ER, a home care
lab, an eight bed medical surgical lab with a control room, two small
group teaching simulation suites with control room, a primary eight bed
simulation lab with control room, a fully furnished LDRP suite, and
three debriefing rooms. Currently ten simulation suites are equipped
with KB Port ETC recording systems that use three cameras and a
microphone to
capture both video and sound and the simulator’s software. The recorders
are managed from the control room and may be broadcast to any classroom
with appropriate AV equipment and to the debriefing rooms. Broadcasts
may be live or from archives.
The Center currently has
thirteen high fidelity simulators in use. They include five Laerdal SimMan and a SimBaby, a METI HPS adult and child,
and Gaumard’s Noelle birthing simulator and newborn. In addition the
Center has Harvey, a cardiovascular and pulmonary simulator produced by
the Center for Research in Medical Education at the University of Miami
Medical School. Harvey has the best heart and lung sounds available and
can be used in small groups or in a classroom setting using an infrared
broadcasting system that delivers sounds to stethoscope receivers worn
by students. Extensive individualized curriculum software comes with
Harvey as well.
The Mary Smart Simulation Center is staffed with a full-time Education
Director, a full-time simulation specialist, a full-time technician, and
six adjunct instructors. In coordination with the Director of Nursing,
the Education Director of the Center schedules several full-time nursing
faculty members to meet a part of their teaching requirement in the
Center.
The primary mission of the Mary Smart
Simulation Center is to support the nursing and allied health programs
of the college. This curriculum support
began in the fall of 2006, and it has expanded every semester since
then. In 2008 the Center will begin offering professional development
programs. We are in discussion with several local hospitals to develop
training to meet their specific needs. The
research program of the Center will also begin in 2008.
|
|
||||
|
SimCenter@pjc.edu |
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has accredited Pensacola Junior College to award the associate's degree. |
|||