UNMC celebrates 5,000 trainee from SIM-NE program

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Simulation in Motion-Nebraska program (SIM-NE) recognized its 5000th trainee at the Valley County Health System in Ord, Nebraska, on March 21, 2019.

Jane Meyer, a nurse practitioner of the Valley County HealthSystem in Ord, is the 5000th trainee. The SIM-NE team presented her with acommemorative plaque, as well as merchandise from SIM-NE and theInterprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning (iEXCELSM) at UNMC.

SIM-NE is a statewide, mobile education system that takesstate-of-the-art, hands-on training to emergency medical service (EMS)providers in rural areas across the state, including health professionals inhospitals. SIM-NE provides free training using four, 44-foot-long, customizedtrucks that supply mobile, real-life experiences designed to enhance lifesavingskills for those in rural areas. It has trained personnel in 87 of 93 Nebraskacounties.

SIM-NE’s four trucks were launched in 2017 and stationed inScottsbluff, Norfolk, Kearney and Lincoln. Rather than having learners travelto larger cities, the training is at the request of rural emergency medicalservice agencies and critical access hospital staff and is done in theircommunities. This also allows training to be team-based as learners trainside-by-side with the people they normally work with during a response.

The customized trucks feature dual slide-out roomextensions, a simulated emergency room and ambulance, a control room, as wellas high-tech, computerized patient simulators that talk, breathe, haveheartbeats, and can react to medications and other actions of thelearners.

Each mobile unit is equipped to recreate a realisticenvironment for learners including: medical supplies; pre-programmed computerizedmedical and trauma scenarios; monitors that display vital signs of patientsimulators; heart monitors/defibrillators; audio and video recording/playbackcapabilities and mock drugs.

SIM-NE is part of UNMC’s iEXCELSM initiative, a transformativeprogram being created to revolutionize health care education and training. Thegoal is to improve quality and safety and reduce costs of patient care throughpracticing, honing and improving patient care skills using simulation beforeencountering real patients, as well as learning to work as high-functioningteams.

SIM-NE was initially funded with a $5.5-million grant fromThe Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Current sources of fundingcome from private funds raised in partnership with the University of NebraskaFoundation and carryover funds through a no-cost extension from The HelmsleyCharitable Trust and training partnerships. SIM-NE continues to develop along-term sustainability plan to ensure free, accessible training throughoutthe state to EMS providers and critical access hospitals.