USI's College of Nursing and Health Professions(CNHP) Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) offers students the opportunity to practice simple tasks as assessing vital signs, to more complicated procedures such as insertion of nasal gastric tubes and intravenous therapy.
The CSC is used by many programs in the nursing and health professions departments.
In our simulations of the clinical settings students are given scenarios in which they can use their learned skills and critical thinking. Dental hygiene students practice assessing vital signs, radiology students practice positioning for portable x-rays, and respiratory care students use simulation to practice their assessment skills and implementation of treatments. The scenarios for nursing students range from caring for an infant suspected of shaken baby syndrome to the final stages of death and dying.
Each year we add features to our Clinical Simulation Center which add 
validity to the simulations. Nursing and Health Professions students learn effective communication by practicing calling the physician for orders or notifying the family of a change in the patient’s condition. A faculty member answers the call and responds according to a planned script. The students are given feedback on how well they communicated in the phone call.
Two years ago we added headwall systems with oxygen and suction. This year, through a collaborative effort of the University and one of our local hospitals, electronic medical record charting is now a part of CNHP's clinical simulation experience.
Recently, several disciplines such as nursing, radiology, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy participated in a simulation stressing prioritizations.
Some of the students participated in the scenario while a classroom of students observed remotely, as the college had invested in a new audio-visual server and control room.
Listening to our students and obtaining student evaluations is very helpful to the faculty and staff in planning simulations which offer needed content and a more hands on learning atmosphere.
The Clinical Simulation Center is also used to promote careers in health services by opening it to tours for high school students and other community services.
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