|
|
|
|
 By Maggie Loughran, CAPM
Consultant, Atlas Research
VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center
ORLANDO, Fla. – 2020 has caused shifts in many business practices, but one of the most exciting repositions for the SimLEARN organization is that it is now encompassed within the Office of Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN) under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Previously, SimLEARN was a part of VHA’s Employee Education System (EES). According to Director, Eric Bruns, “SimLEARN is energized by the opportunities that come with being part of the DEAN team. We thrive on driving the VHA’s evolution into a highly reliable, learning organization. Our ability to promote innovation using simulation for education has increased exponentially.” The new realignment represents a strategic move that will further support SimLEARN’s mission to enhance Veteran health care quality through the use and dissemination of simulation technologies, education, and training to facilitate workforce development.
DEAN’s umbrella of four offices – Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), Office of Health Advancement Partnerships (HAP), Office of Health Innovation and Learning (OHIL), Office of Research and Development (ORD) – intertwine to collaborate and coordinate with facility-based educators, researchers, and clinicians to drive ongoing improvement in education, training, and advancements in scientific research. Under the leadership of Dr. Carolyn Clancy, “DEAN is thrilled to welcome SimLEARN into our thriving community. Our vision is to establish this organization as the world leader of clinical simulation-based practices, and we could not conceptualize a better synergistic partnership than within our umbrella. The DEAN office is uniquely positioned to lead the effort to advance medical research and healthcare education for its professionals, with SimLEARN now at the forefront of this mission.”
For the rest of the story, click here.
Image of the VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center. (VA courtesy photo)
Back to top
|
|
|
|
By Brian Kaufman MD, FCCP, FCCM
Director
New York VA Harbor Simulation Laboratory (Manhattan)
Sunil Nair MD
Simulation Fellow / Division of Pulm / Critical Care Medicine
New York VA Harbor (Manhattan) NYU Grossman School of Medicine
New York, NY - Realizing that rapid up-staffing of intensive care units would be needed as COVID-19 surged, VA NY Harbor Healthcare undertook to expand its numbers of intensive care physicians and physician-extenders using medical simulation. Two-hundred critical care fellows, pulmonary-only faculty, and non-traditional ICU physician and advanced practice providers were up-trained in this manner over 6 weeks, contributing to the critical care workforce at a key time during the surge. The up-training occurred in two phases: phase one was directed to those with some prior advanced intensive care unit training who would need to be rapidly deployed to augment our existing critical care faculty as the number of intensive care unit beds/units increased in early March 2020. Phase two focused on trying to improve the medical knowledge and comfort level of these providers in critical care medicine.
For the rest of the story click here.
|
|
By Maggie Loughran, CAPM
Consultant, Atlas Research
VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center
Nashville, Tenn. – Elizabeth Priestley, a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Alvin C. York campus of Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, was backed by 18 years of training and experience when an emergency struck. While Priestley was off duty one weekend, her son alerted her of their neighbor who had collapsed in his front yard. She remembers, “I needed to save his life. Because of the training, I didn’t even have to think about what to do. I just jumped right in.” After several minutes of performing the procedures for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the ambulance finally arrived on the scene and the emergency responders took control with additional medical procedures. Because of Priestley’s swift and continued action, her neighbor was able to return home to his family; she touts the cadence of the training requirements for the successful application of CPR.
For the rest of the story, click here.
Elizabeth Priestley, a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Alvin C. York campus of Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, works on a CPR training manikin.
Back to top
|
By Roberto CruzFernandez, BBA
Acting Project Manager
VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center
ORLANDO, Fla. – What was initially expected to be a 30-day hiatus for face-to-face training quickly turned into an indefinite reality at the SimLEARN National Center, where safety measures were put in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward to today and staff at SimLEARN are rolling out a new and innovative training model where distanced learning meets simulation. Through the SimLEARN Virtual Academy, we will offer a training platform that eliminates travel and delivers both synchronous courses and asynchronous instruction to reach learners where they are. Although we have lost the ability to connect face to face in a traditional learning environment, our new direction in education will allow us to maximize productivity and better utilize our resources which will have a great impact on how learners will care for our Veterans.
For the rest of the story, click here.
By Janet Sprehe, DNP, APRN, CVRN, RN-BC
Program Director of Simulations/REdI
Tampa VAMC
Tampa, FL. – Prior to COVID-19, the James A. Haley VA Advanced Simulation Center had been committed to training over 60 University of South Florida (USF) Post Year Graduate Year 3 (PGY3) students twice a year in two four-hour daily sessions learning how to use and skillfully obtain quality ultrasound images. Upon the COVID-19 pandemic, simulation class size was downsized to ensure safe social distancing when having skill practice sessions, courses were offered in multiple sessions, and students even became the patient during simulations.
“Being the patient getting this procedure made me aware of the dynamic communications we need to focus on when we work with our veterans. Feeling how uncomfortable the ultrasound probe felt, lets me know to advise the patient that it may feel uncomfortable but to have the veteran let me know if I need to alter how hard I am pressing on them.” stated a PGY3 student who wished to remain anonymous. Although COVID-19 has seemed to be a negative challenge in some simulation centers, our new way of teaching Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) classes has been enhanced for the future way we will offer this type of course.
For the rest of the story, click here.
Dr. Jorge Lamarche with medical residents learning how to perform Ultrasound.
Back to top
|
Top left: Jonathan Nguyen (Richmond VA), Top right: Elizabeth Nichols (CAE), Lower left Cathy Hebert (Asheville VA), Lower right, Mary E. Holtschneider (Durham VA), and lowest right, Emily Shaw, CAE.
By Cathy Herbert, Ph.D., RN, GCNS-BC
Education Specialist / Learning Resources Service
Western North Carolina VA Health Care System
Mary E. Holtschneider, MEd, MPA, BSN, RN, NPD-BC
VISN 6 Simulation Champion
Co-Director, Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Clinical Simulation
Durham, North Carolina VA Health Care System
North Carolina – VISN 6 Nursing Professional Development (NPD) and Simulation Educators celebrated a first in 2020—their first virtual conference. The longstanding monthly VISN 6 wide meetings span over a decade, and now have paved the way for a new tradition, a digital platform conference bringing NPD practitioners and Simulation Educators from all seven VISN 6 facilities together for learning and sharing in a virtual environment.
To maximize participation, the agenda consisted of 3 consecutive days of October 28, 29, & 30, from 1-4 pm on Wed and Thursday, and 10-12 on Friday. This allowed participants to address the needs of their facilities in the morning, then focus on learning and sharing in the afternoon. Small breakout groups identified best practices regarding selected subtopics, including hospital-wide education, education management, outpatient, acute care, RQI, preceptor programs, orientation, and RN Transition to Practice. In addition to group interactive discussions, educational presentations were offered on High Reliability, virtual programming, Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice, and VISN 6 Strategic Initiatives.
For the rest of the story, click here.
Back to top
|
By Cherie A. Bolden-Dickerson, BS
Project Manager
VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Core Courses are fundamental simulation training courses to which the students will register via the Talent Management System (TMS) and the SimLEARN Virtual Academy (SVA) to attend face-to-face or virtual training. The SimLEARN Core Team is finalizing the course portfolio to meet the training gaps due to the current environment but is covering topics such as The Simulations Foundations, Introduction to Clinical Simulation, The SimLEARN Faculty Instructor Course, The Simulation Essentials Course, and The SimLEARN’s Clinical Simulation Fellowship course. Despite these challenging times, the Core Team is continuously working to improve its developments and stands ready to assist other training teams to support SimLEARN’s goals of improving the quality of health care services for America's Veterans.
For additional information about these courses please email us at VHASimLEARNTrainingOps@va.gov and a member of the training operations will contact you.
For the rest of the story, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
