Navicent Health

KEEPING PACE WITH PATIENT NEEDS The Navicent Health Foundation provided the funding to create the Center for Innovative Learning and has been a steadfast supporter of the simulation lab throughout its seven-year history. Recently, foundation funds allowed the center to obtain a new infant simulator. "The new neonatal mannequin is much more similar to the babies our providers typically care for— who are usually premature and quite small—and it is significantly smaller than our previous model," says Jimmy Colquitt, PhD, RRT, CHSOS, Director of Simulation- based Education at Navicent Health and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Mercer University and Navicent Health. "Our next goals are to purchase a mother/baby simulator so our providers can practice their delivery skills, as well as an older-child mannequin so we can more accurately simulate medical scenarios in school-age children." A UNIQUE CLASSROOM Open since 2010, the Center for Innovative Learning is a 1,500-square-foot space located inside e Medical Center, Navicent Health, with one mission: to improve safety for patients of all ages. To do that, the center is equipped with several high-tech mannequins that mimic many of the behaviors and physical abilities of people. "In the simulation lab, providers can practice their technical and interpersonal skills, as well as speed up their performance, without any risk of harm to patients," says Jimmy Colquitt, PhD, RRT, CHSOS, Director of Simulation-based Education at Navicent Health and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Mercer University and Navicent Health. "Providers learn better when they can make mistakes, but they can't afford to do that in real clinical scenarios. at is why the simulation lab is so valuable. We can videotape simulations so students and teachers can watch the recordings together and identify areas for improvement." A variety of clinicians use the Center for Innovative Learning , but its primary users are residents and nurses. ey spend time in the simulation lab practicing skills such as placing intravenous lines (IV ), as well as chest and breathing tubes, and rehearsing emergency situations. e lab is especially valuable for pediatric providers, as caring for children can pose unique challenges. Using a mannequin, a surgical resident can, for example, practice performing an appendectomy on a young patient, and a nurse can learn to start an IV using ultrasound. Even experienced pediatric physicians turn to the Center for Innovative Learning in the interest of professional improvement. TEACHABLE MOMENTS ON THE MOVE One of the best things about the Center for Innovative Learning is that much of its equipment is mobile, which allows Dr. Colquitt and other facilitators to construct simulations that are even closer to real scenarios. In one example, residents receive a page, without warning, to report to the Labor and Delivery Unit, where they must treat a faux baby while experienced physicians observe and provide guidance. "Sometimes, we take our pediatric mannequins to the trauma bay and run mock trauma cases," says Michelle Dyes, RN, BSN, CCRN-P, Clinical Lead in Pediatric Critical Care at Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital, Navicent Health. "Everyone follows the steps in our protocol as if they were real cases, starting from the time the patient arrives in the Emergency Department. It's a great learning experience." Center for Innovative Learning Founder Rogelio dela Cruz, MD, Medical Director of Pediatric Emergency Center, Navicent Health, sees the lessons providers learn in the simulation lab as crucial to ensure patients receive safe, skilled care. "Simulating real-world scenarios helps physicians and many other providers build confidence in their abilities," Dr. dela Cruz says. "at benefits every patient." Want to support the Center for Innovative Learning? Visit www.navicenthealth.org/foundation. NAVICENTHEALTH.ORG/FOUNDATION | Impact | 21

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