New Vancouver Island medical simulation centre provides students with real-life scenarios

A new life-like mannequin that can breathe, talk, cough and moan will give medical students in Victoria a chance to get as close to real-life scenarios, while still allowing them to learn.

The mannequin is only one component in today’s announcement from the Centre for Interprofessional Clinical Simulation Learning in Victoria. The new centre will be providing future doctors, nurses and midwives an opportunity to work together on medical scenarios they are likely to find when treating patients.

The $2.9 million centre will be working in partnership with Island Health, the University of Victoria, and the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine.

“This centre put learners in clinical scenarios as close to real-life as it gets, while allowing them to learn, and make mistakes, in a safe environment,” said Bruce Wright, Head of UVic’s Division of Medical Sciences and UBC’s associate dean, Vancouver Island in a press release.

“The dynamic nature of this technology will help students and professionals alike develop their clinical skills, in real time.”

There will be three simulation laboratories replicating an operating room, a critical care unit, and a patient care room that will be used by more than 125 medical and 366 nursing students; medical residents in training, and experienced health professionals in Greater Victoria.

Using the aviation industry and their use of flight simulators to provide new and experienced pilots with ‘situational context’ as its blueprint, the centre is focusing on the interaction between the task, environment and the behaviour of team members.

“Research shows team-based simulation learning is one of the most effective ways for us to meet this region’s unique needs in serving a growing, aging, and longer-living population,” said Taj Baidwan, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Island Health.

“We know high-functioning teams improve patient outcomes.”