State-of-the-Art Simulation Center Aids Future Nurses

Recent funding and donations from the state of West Virginia, Fairmont General Hospital and the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust spearheaded the creation of a state-of-the-art Simulation Center for Fairmont State University's School of Nursing.

When fully funded and equipped, the School of Nursing Simulation Center at FSU, housed in Colebank Hall, will host six training stations, including three adult training stations, one child training station, one infant training station and one birthing training station. The simulation center will set the stage for students to work with authentic problems, synthesize data, make clinical decisions and reflect on their practice-all without risk to patients.

The Simulation Center allows students to participate in real-life situations to help increase their skills and support team building and critical thinking. Students are assigned roles and must respond to the simulators, which are life-sized robotic mannequins that simulate body functions. A faculty member acts as the "voice" of the simulator. Students respond to the simulators as they would to a real person. Their interaction is videotaped, and faculty use the video as a basis to work with students on teachable moments. Through the Center, students have the opportunity to take part in medical scenarios that they wouldn't normally be exposed to at this point in their education in a hospital setting. They learn about the importance of communication and build self-confidence.

An integral part of the Simulation Center is the Hazel Ruby McQuain Simulation Lab Conference Room for Health Care Programs, which enables students to view, analyze and discuss the simulations. The conference room is named in honor of the late Hazel Ruby McQuain due to a gift from the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust.

To date, the state grant has provided for the purchase of state-of-the-art adult, child and infant simulators, computers, cameras and other equipment needed to run effective simulations. Fairmont General Hospital donated equipment that will be used in the Simulation Center.

"With the state grant and the equipment generously donated by Fairmont General, we've been able to get the Simulation Center up and running on a preliminary scale for use this semester," said Connie Moore, Abelina Suarez Professor of Nursing and Coordinator of Adult Health Nursing. "My students are so excited to participate in the simulations and are anxious for the center to expand to include more training opportunities."

"We sincerely appreciate this funding which has provided very real and tangible benefits for our students. This opportunity for hands-on training before entering an actual clinical setting gives our students a tremendous advantage," said Dr. Sharon Boni, Dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health Administration and Professor of Nursing. "The health care field is ever-changing and as technology progresses, it is essential that nursing students have the skills to meet both the demands of future employers and the daily challenges they will face in their profession."

The benefits of the Simulation Center reach far beyond the campus. Once fully developed, the center could be used by health care facilities within the community to promote staff development and conduct staff competencies. As a training resource for both student and professional health care workers, the center has the ability to directly impact the quality of medical care in the region.

"There is a tradition of excellence associated with the nursing program at Fairmont State University, and the creation and utilization of this Simulation Center will allow this tradition to continue into the 21^st century," Boni said. "Graduates of the nursing program will face many challenges and complexities as they enter the medical field, and this facility will ensure they have the skills to be high-functioning colleagues."

A campaign, through the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. is currently under way to complete and fully equip the nearly 4,000-square-foot training facility. To be part of the campaign to advance nursing education at Fairmont State, send a check made payable to the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. to 1201 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554. For more information on how to have an even greater impact, contact Keith Foster, Director of Major Gifts, Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. at (304) 367-4014 or e-mail him at jfoster@fairmontstate.edu.