First Responders Test Newly Remodeled Healthcare Simulation Center Anyone driving by RVU’s Colorado campus on the morning of October 15th likely witnessed a perplexing, if not somewhat alarming, scene of a lone ambulance cutting through the University’s courtyard. When the ambulance came to a stop on the grassy field, first responders with the Franktown Fire Protection District (FFPD) jumped out and made a beeline for several patients: a man suffering from a heart attack (George Marsh, Security Officer, acting as a Standardized Patient); a woman with a broken femur (portrayed by Kelsey Link, Coordinator for the Office of Simulation in Medicine and Surgery); and a man with shrapnel embedded in his abdomen (simulated by Dennis Meidal, Senior Facilities and Grounds Technician, wearing a Cut Suit®). Also scattered throughout the field were individual torsos—in reality, high-fidelity manikins for practicing techniques like cricothyrotomy (an incision in the neck to establish an airway) and needle compression. The scene, which was designed to mimic the aftermath of a gas explosion, was the latest simulation event from the Office of SIMS. When the triage phase of the simulation was complete, patients were transported via the ambulance to the Office of SIMS’ newly remodeled Healthcare Simulation Center (HSC). At the HSC, the responders used the new ambulance access, realistic ER trauma bays, and operating rooms to allow for [a] comprehensive and realistic patient experience. The responders also assisted in other aspects of trauma care, like scrubbing in for surgery and treating "patients" in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, where manikins can simulate low blood pressure, vomiting, and obstructions in the mouth and throat. The simulation event allowed the FFPD team to practice communications and leadership skills while learning more advanced medical techniques. To see more photos from the simulation, please visit the RVU-CO Facebook page.
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