UTAS' Simulation and Clinical Education Centre was officially opened 9 Dec, 2010 by Vice-Chancellor Prof Daryl Le Grew.
The University of Tasmania's multi-million dollar Simulation and Clinical Education Centre at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Launceston was officially opened on 9 December 2010 by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Daryl Le Grew.
Boasting state-of-the-art facilities, the Centre gives Tasmanian health science students and health professionals access to the latest advancements in simulation technology for clinical education.
Featuring low and high fidelity simulation technologies, the centre is based on three levels, with facilities catering for undergraduate and postgraduate health science students, as well as training for external organisations.
In addition to the technologically advanced teaching spaces, the centre features:
Prof Le Grew said stage one of the new Simulation and Clinical Education Centre was opened for use in 2007.
"Now that stage two is complete the university has a superb basis for becoming a centre of excellence in preparing the current and future health workforce and further developing inter-professional learning and research," he said.
Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Denise Fassett, said simulated experiences and environments increasingly are being recognised as an important factor in quality and patient safety, improving learning for health science students.
"The delivery of evidence based quality health care is dependent upon relevant, contemporary education training and competency assessment," she said.
"The new centre provides an exciting opportunity for health professionals and health service providers to collaborate in the development of new and innovative methods of teaching. This will improve patient outcomes and care, as well as the competence of health science graduates and practitioners."
The centre's manager of simulation operation and development, Nigel Chong, said "The success of our curriculum and innovative approach to simulation-based education, along with educating current healthcare professionals, has gained us national and international recognition as leaders in simulated education in nursing and midwifery," he said.
"This new facility will allow us to expand our current program to meet the growing needs of our partners, health workforce and health science students."
Photo: Paramedics Ivor Carins and Dean Lahey, of the Tasmania Ambulance Service, transport the new 3G SIM Man to the School of Nursing and Midwifery during a simulated medical emergency.