The Minister for Health has officially opened a state-of-the-art medical training facility at NUIG Galway this week.
The Clinical Simulation and Interprofessional Education Facility was created by the university in partnership with the Saolta Hospital Group.
The facility spans more than 20 immersive learning rooms, fitted out to hospital standard, and simulating all aspects of a leading healthcare environment.
All training rooms are fitted with high-powered cameras and audio-visual equipment with remote and observation spaces for assessing and reviewing learning.
Patients are replaced by complex manikins with physiological characteristics that respond to medical treatments and procedures in safe and realistic environments.
Minister Stephen Donnelly said at the opening that this facility is “at the forefront” of delivering modern training for healthcare students and medical providers.
“Healthcare simulation brings the students and professionals together in a modern methodology for training.”
“Advances such as this have tangible benefits to the staff delivering quality care within our health service and this, of course, benefits patients.”
“This type of innovation and forward thinking is what will help to elevate the delivery of our world class health service and it is the cornerstone of the future of healthcare in Ireland.”
The new training facility includes:
- Skills labs, operating theatres, ICU space, emergency bays, in-patient wards, outpatient consultation rooms, delivery suites.
- Complex manikins range in age from premature infants to adults and maternity manikins simulate pregnancy and childbirth.
- Audio-visual system for recording training, streaming and linking to all areas of Saolta University Health Care Group
- Education and training for more than 600 medical students in clinical years and accessible space for more than 4,000 multi-professional clinical staff in Galway University Hospitals.
- Observational rooms with one-way glass and multi-functional rooms with mobile furniture, easily switching from clinical to tutorial and debrief rooms.
Prof Dara Byrne of NUIG and the Saolta Hospital Group said “The old, apprentice-style of learning for healthcare students and clinicians is no longer considered acceptable because of the increasing concern for the quality of patient care and safety and change in health care systems.”
“As a result, there are fewer opportunities for the student to experience and build confidence dealing with a wide variety of diseases, traumas and treatment responses.”
Prof Byrne wrote the National Strategic Guide for using simulation in healthcare, which was also launched alongside this opening.
