By now you’ve heard that Andeavor Logistics has made a generous $40,000 dollar donation towards the UBTech Health Simulation Education Center but why exactly is a simulation center so important and what will the upgrade include? Director of Nursing at UBTech Lindsey Ellingford explains that medical simulation labs are the ideal way to bridge the educational gap that can be evident as students go from the classroom to a clinical setting. “Simulation is so meaningful,” shares Ellingford. “We can create the scenarios students are going to see and we can tailor the learning objectives. Training on the life-like manikins enhance the student’s critical thinking. They are prepared before their clinicals for their real life patients.” The expanded Health Simulation Education Center will have 3 additional patient rooms and the center will also be used by practicing healthcare professionals as they certify and recertify in areas of expertise. “Our decision to expand our simulation lab is the result of industry request based on the needs expressed by Uintah Basin Medical Center medical administrators,” shares UBTech vice president of development Bob Peterson. UBTech has spent nearly $200,000 dollars upgrading the center so far and additional funds are still being sought for the project. In addition to the patient rooms, the center will also include seven state-of-the-art manikins that mimic a wide variety of medical symptoms, including breathing difficulties, gastric distress, heart attacks, labor and childbirth. An infant manikin is also available for students to practice their medical skills.
