VAIL, Colorado The patient’s eyes are glassy and his pulse erratic. As his blood pressure drops dangerously, and the heartbeat begins to falter, the medical team flies into action. In the next bay, a pregnant woman is undergoing a Caesarian procedure for a breech birth.
Even though they may not encounter these scenarios every day, these physicians and nurses do not waver. They know their patients both high-tech mannequins will live and go on to repeat their experiences for other healthcare providers in other training simulations hundreds of times.
This is the Vail Valley Medical Center’s Mobile Simulation Lab or will be. It is still in the build phase. But next fall, the Mobile Simulation Lab will be available to Vail Valley Medical Center staff, and later to other medical and emergency personnel, for hands-on learning that will undoubtedly impact lives for years to come.
Ongoing education is vital to keeping medical professionals’ skills current and patient care exemplary, said Doris Kirchner, president and CEO of the Vail Valley Medical Center. In a rural environment, such as Eagle County’s, accessing expert training and exposure to rapidly changing technology and methodology can be a challenge. The Mobile Simulation Lab will bring that training right to our doorstep, and the doorstep of all five VVMC campuses, ensuring all of our clinical staff provide the highest level of patient care possible.
It was Kirchner who first brought the idea back to the hospital when she went on a tour of John Hopkins University and became so enthralled with the simulation training there, she missed the rest of the tour to investigate.
It’s been a vision of mine to bring simulation training to the Vail Valley Medical Center for a long time, Kirchner said.
From the outside, the Vail Valley Medical Center’s Mobile Simulation Lab will look like your neighbor’s RV. Inside, the vehicle, on its custom-built, 40-foot chassis, will hold two patient care areas, with all the bells and whistles. There will be patient monitors, medical gases, suction capabilities, ventilators and all the specialized equipment needed for these intricate, potentially life-saving training sessions. A central control room, with dedicated computer stations and WOW (Wireless on Wheels) technology, will allow educators to control the simulation learning experience, creating an endless variety of medical scenarios.
The Mobile Simulation Lab is projected to cost just under $2 million for a five-year program. The program is largely funded by the Vail Valley Medical Center’s Annual Family Dinner Dance, which netted $432,639 for the lab at its December event at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa.
The Dinner Dance, now in its 31st year, is a great holiday tradition for many families in the valley, said Sarah Paladino, annual giving and special programs manager for Vail Valley Medical Center. It is also the single largest fundraising event we hold each year.
Generous private donors have also caught the vision and pitched in to help, along with the fundraising efforts by its dedicated Volunteer Corps Board Members, who helped to raise more than $30,000 in 2011.
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Hands-on learning at Vail Valley Medical Center