Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Program

With the availability of simulation as an educational tool, healthcare professionals can rehearse, actually practice clinical skills in a dynamic, reality-based, risk-free environment. Simulation and procedural skills curriculum delivery is organized into a self-directed pre-course study component, didactic reinforcement, simulation exercises, and finally, a faculty-supervised clinical experience. Simulated exercises allow faculty to emphasize patient safety concepts, teach and assess knowledge and skills, decision making, code organization, team management, communication skills, and assist the resident in building confidence and competency.

Our simulation and skills program currently makes use of a variety of educaitonal methods and tools for teaching, practice, assessment, and maintenance of skills such as:

• access to web-based opportunities for self-directed study and didactics
• a variety of hands-on skills lab opportunities utilizing part-task mannequins and models
• Computer-enhanced high-fidelity simulators
• an advanced surgical procedures lab
• gross anatomy cadavers
• the incorporation of standardized patients into educational sessions

Simulation Center Development

Our ECU Emergency Medicine Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory is in the process of expanding into a sophisticated, state-of-the-art, simulation-based experiential learning and assessment center, using a multi- disciplinary approach in cooperation with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and University Health Systems/Pitt county Memorial Hospital.  This center will ultimately become part of a collaborative learning environment that brings together simulation-based education throughout our health sciences campus and university.