UCC SONM 25 Year Book

UCC / School of Nursing and Midwifery

In the same year, the School purchased its first high-fidelity manikin and began to integrate scenario based learning opportunities. High-fidelity simulation based learning was gradually incorporated in a planned and integrative manner. This reflected the national and international focus on patient safety and an increasing emphasis on human factors, team training and crisis resource management training. In light of an increasing demand for simulation based learning for both undergraduate and post graduate programmes, the School supported and financed the development of a 350m 2 self-contained simulation suite. The simulation suite was officially opened on the 25 th March 2013 by Professor Geraldine McCarthy, Emeritus Professor and former head of School and the CSRC renamed as the Clinical Skills Simulation Resource Centre (CSSRC). This exciting development was and remains unique in Schools of Nursing in Ireland and consists of three high-dependency rooms, and the associated fixtures and fittings, each equipped with a high-fidelity manikin. An adjoining control room allows for one way viewing and associated tutorial spaces are provided for post-simulation debriefing sessions. An extensive integrated audio-visual system facilitates the simultaneous recording of multiple camera angles which are annotated while sessions are in progress and used to ensure a focused debriefing session. All recordings are available to students to review independently thus enhancing self-reflection, a core aspect of a constructivist learning pedagogy. In the intervening years considerable expertise in simulation-based learning and the associated debriefing strategies have been developed. The synergistic use of problem-based learning and simulation based learning has increased the focus on actual problems encountered in clinical practice while encouraging problem solving, clinical decision making, communication and team work. Interdisciplinary simulation sessions (3 rd year nursing students and 5 th year medical students) focused on the national early warning score and the associated communication

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