Happy International Healthcare Simulation Week!

From September 18-22 we join medical facilities across the world in celebrating Healthcare Simulation Week! This global effort recognizes health care professionals who use simulation to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficacy of health care delivery.

Read some celebratory messages from some of our AHS Simulation Center staff below:

 

Jordan Mullings, MD

The Sim Center provides a safe place to practice high stakes scenarios with low stress. It’s been rewarding to apply lessons from challenging simulated cases in real life. Our Sim Center faculty and staff do an excellent job creating an environment that has improved my ability to serve patients every day.

 

 

Aravind Addepalli, MD

Medicine can be a fast paced and complex environment, one with very little scope for error yet at the same time one that requires extensive practice to get comfortable in. The SIM center has allowed me to make mistakes in a controlled environment, to confront my anxieties, and to show up better prepared for my patients.

I give my residency program the credit for early and continuous incorporation of the SIM center into our training, but the SIM center staff themselves have been exemplary in creating the warm and welcoming space for learning that has kept me coming back. The center is kept on top notch quality with the finest administrative staff. Of course this is all further amplified with the unwavering encouragement and education from Dr. Julie Gesch. From competing on the national level at SIMWars, to our weekly education conferences, to even teaching SIM classes to students from surrounding high schools the SIM center is an integral part of my journey to become a better physician caring for our Oakland community.

 

Lexi Lambeck, MD

In the 21st century, simulation is an absolutely essential part of medical training, and some of the highest-yield teaching I received throughout residency was in the AHS Sim Center. The first time I ever drilled an IO, inserted a central line, or placed a chest tube were all in simulation, and it meant that when I performed those procedures on real patients, I was ready and confident. That it can be both educational and joyfully fun at the same time is a testament to our incredible staff and facilities. Moreover, our practice in the Sim Center led our Highland team to victory in a national simulation competition in 2022. We couldn’t have done it without them! Happy International Healthcare in Simulation Week, Sim Center!

 

Chloe Solomon, MD

The AHS simulation center has been a vital part of my growth and practice as a new physician. The simulation center offers a safe learning environment to practice performing procedures, running medical emergencies and traumas, working as a multidisciplinary team, and engaging patients in difficult and sensitive conversations. I feel more confident taking care of patients after practicing in the simulation center.  There is also no other place I can practice what it would be like to take care of patients in the most rural and extreme places in the world; up in the mountains, deep underwater, with the fewest of resources. I also love collaborating with the simulation center to teach young learners medical skills and encourage careers in medicine, especially to those underrepresented in medicine from our community.

Last but certainly not least, it was one of my highest honors to be part of Highland Hospital’s SIM team, which competed nationally in the most outrageous simulated patient cases imaginable!

 

Ahn Juntura, RN, MSN-CNL & Daniel R. Gerard, MS, RN, NRP

In the intricate dance of human interaction, simulation technology provides the rhythm, allowing medicine to choreograph miracles with precision and empathy. The Simulation Center stands as a beacon of innovation and foresight in our continuous journey to master the intricacies of acute stroke care. Through adept simulation techniques, blending both technology with the human touch, the center has transformed the landscape of stroke education. This alchemy has instilled our teams with an unparalleled depth of expertise and a renewed vigor, driving them to set benchmarks in patient care.

One of the most remarkable aspects of our collaboration with the Simulation Center is the opportunity it provides to train interdisciplinary teams. Stroke management in a clinical setting involves a multitude of professionals, including physicians, nurses, technicians, clerks, registration staff, lab personnel, and radiology specialists. Your center has enabled us to replicate these team dynamics, mirroring the real-life scenarios we encounter in our daily practice.

On May 11, 2023, the Simulation Center’s monumental contributions shone brightly during the in-situ stroke simulation as part of the Alameda EMS Fire Academy. This was not just a drill; it was an orchestra where every note played – from the EMS team’s prompt actions in the field to the seamless transition to our stroke specialists – epitomized the pinnacle of orchestrated emergency response. It showcased not merely the clinical mechanics but also the delicate art of coordination essential for successful acute stroke interventions.

In the vast tapestry of medical excellence, your dedication has been one of the most luminous threads, reshaping the contours of how we perceive and manage stroke care. Your unwavering commitment to excellence, paired with the spirit of collaboration, is not just commendable, it’s transformative. We cherish and deeply value our partnership, for it is clear: through your endeavors, countless heartbeats find their rhythm again. Your efforts are a testament to the art and science of saving lives.