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| Sami
Placer, UAHS system director, clinical education, perioperative services,
demonstrates some of the clinical capabilities of the new Laerdal SimMan® 3G simulators which were recently purchased by BRMC and OGH. |
Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH),
member hospitals of Upper Allegheny Health System, now have the latest
technology in clinical training with the acquisition of the most highly
advanced simulator mannequins available today.
The Laerdal SimMan® 3G simulators are now in use at BRMC and
OGH. These adult-size programmable
simulators use wireless technology to create hundreds of scenarios to advance
clinical staff training.
Unlike simulator mannequins of the distant past, which were
limited to basic resuscitation training, SimMan® 3G simulators create high fidelity experiences for clinical staff
including IV access, cardiac monitoring, medication administration, airway
management, stroke and cardiac events, bleeding and other bodily fluid
excretions, and other basic medical assessments. BRMC and OGH are the only
hospitals in the region to have this level of advanced simulators.
“This technology will usher in a new era of clinical
training capability at our two hospitals. The SimMan® 3G simulators represent a
very significant clinical training differential for BRMC and OGH,” said Timothy
J. Finan, president, chief executive officer, BRMC, OGH, Upper Allegheny Health
System.
“All clinical staff, including nurses, students, physicians,
respiratory therapists, phlebotomists and EMS personnel will be able to learn
vital skills and sharpen their knowledge with the most realistic training
scenarios and outcomes possible,” said Sami Placer, UAHS system director,
clinical education, perioperative services.
The simulators even have the ability to secrete tears,
bleed, blink or close eyes, and experience a convulsion, a heart attack or
stroke, among other scenarios. Each scenario is programmed depending on the
type of training exercise desired.
“Simulation training raises the bar when it comes to patient
safety and quality at our hospitals,” Placer said. “The simulators will provide
gold standard clinical growth and development for our clinical staff, which in
turn helps us provide the very best care to our patients.”
The purchase of the OGH simulator was made possible by a
generous donation from community members Laurie Branch and Greg Chiapuso and
funds for the BRMC simulator came from the Bradford Hospital Foundation.
“We are extremely
grateful to our donors who recognized this vital need and helped make the
purchases a reality. Their investments in our staff and patients are much
appreciated and play a significant role in patient safety,” Finan said.
A series of open houses will be held at a later date so
people can learn more and view how they work. Upper Allegheny Health System is the parent company of
Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital, members of Kaleida
Health, Buffalo. An integration of two prominent community hospitals in
Southwestern New York state and Northwestern Pennsylvania, Upper Allegheny
Health System’s goal is the enhancement of each hospital’s mission of care and
service to their respective communities with the common goal of improving care,
enhancing clinical programs and providing best-in-class service for various
health needs.