The $2.7 million renovation included 10 additional client care beds — one of which mirrors a labor and delivery/postpartum setting, a pediatric patient room, a nursing station, a classroom, a conference room and a faculty work room.
This extension allows eight to 10 simulations concurrently, allowing more than one group of nursing students to participate in a simulation at a time. This doubles the number of simulations students can participate in at one time.
“This isn’t just a space for our nursing students,” said Nate Brandstater, Kettering College president. “It’s a technologically advanced educational space for Kettering Health Network learners and beyond, that’s second to none.”
The IPE Simulation Center uses high-fidelity manikins — lifelike models of the human body used in medical education. These manikins are used for simulations outside of Kettering College, like the simulation hosted by Butler County local emergency planning committee.
More than 200 people from 50 agencies and organizations took part in the simulation. The event gave first responders and community partners an opportunity to simulate an emergency response to a catastrophic pipeline release of Jet-A kerosene into the river. Participants were tested in five operational areas: unified command; water and hazardous material response; emergency medical services; mass care sheltering; and hospital care.
Popcorn donated by a local movie theater was used to simulate the kerosene spill, and large containment booms collected the debris. During this phase of the exercise, first responders performed a water rescue using a manikin. Meanwhile, the American Red Cross established a simulated mass care shelter for community members displaced by the chemical spill.
In the first aid shelter, Phillip Smith, IPE Simulation coordinator, used one of the college’s manikins to simulate a worker who had been overcome by vapors. The manikin was programmed to exhibit symptoms of severe hydrocarbon toxicity, which progressed to cardiac arrest. Throughout the exercise, groups of EMTs and paramedics entered the shelter, did triage and provided medical care. After each group completed its assignment, the manikin was reset for the next group.
“Whether it is a building collapse, explosion, chemical spill or mass shooting, emergency medical personnel have to be prepared,” Smith said. “We love to support local efforts to train first responders because we want our community to have the very best care.”
The IPE Simulation Center at Kettering College provides more than 400 clinical simulations a year, mostly for students from nursing, respiratory care, physician assistant and other programs. Healthcare professionals from Kettering Heath Network hospitals also take part in simulations to hone their clinical skills.
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