Texas Children's Hospital Opens State-of-the-Art Pediatric Simulation Center

HOUSTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital opened the doors of
its brand new Simulation Center today, where healthcare teams will be trained
in the management of rare, complex, and complicated patient care through a
simulated clinical environment. The facility is the only center of its kind
in Texas, and one of the largest among the twelve pediatric simulation centers
in the United States.

Programs at the Simulation Center will focus on both technical skills, such as
CPR or bag mask ventilation, and complex communication between
multidisciplinary teams. Each training exercise will prepare individuals to
handle events in a coordinated and effective manner in order to bridge the gap
between different departments that don't work together on a day-to-day basis,
but may come together in crisis situations. From EMT professionals to nurse
practitioners and anesthesiologists, groups in the training program will work
together in simulated, critical medical events as varied as a patient
experiencing cardiac arrest to a fire in the operating room.

"The experience of simulation allows for such an advanced level of training
and helps ensure that we are truly prepared to work together as a
highly-coordinated team for every patient who needs our help," said Jennifer
Arnold, M.D. and medical director of the Simulation Center.

Using high-tech equipment including high-fidelity mannequins, innovative
software and audio/visual systems, along with low-tech additions like
well-trained actors in the roles of family members, each scenario is
manipulated in real time depending on the teams' decisions and actions. In
order to create true-to-life scenarios that will improve patient care, the
high-tech mannequins are so realistic they can bleed, turn blue and even cry
out in labor pain and ask for an epidural.

"We're able to do so much more than just evaluate technical ability," said
Arnold. "The center is a great tool for improving communication and overall
team interaction which can be just as important in achieving healthy outcomes
as the technical and medical care."

The 8,000 square foot facility is comprised of three high-fidelity simulation
theatres, five standardized patient training rooms, a flexible clinical skills
room and two debriefing rooms. The theatres and the training rooms are all
equipped with state-of-the-art audio/video systems that record the simulated
event. Each exercise is filmed and reviewed by the team with an in-depth
assessment of both clinical and communication skills.

"The technology is so advanced, and the experiences are so believable, that
each simulation is an eye-opening experience for the participants," said Kelly
Wallin, R.N. and assistant director of the Simulation Center

As the only center of its kind in Texas, and one of the largest among the
pediatric simulation centers in the United States, the Simulation Center at
Texas Children's Hospital will not only train hospital staff, but will also
open its doors to local, national and ultimately international health care
providers. Located in the world's largest medical center and the fourth
largest city in the nation, the Simulation Center has the potential to impact
the care of children around the world.

"This is the next step in figuring out how to make things better for our
patients," said Arnold. "There's amazing work to be done here."

By conducting research and using simulation education as a teaching tool to
save lives and improve patient care and safety, Texas Children's Hospital
continues its mission of providing the highest level of family-centered care.

For more information about Texas Children's Hospital's Simulation Center,
please visit www.texaschildrens.org.

For media inquiries please contact:
Nicole Truscinski, 212.677.2748, nicole@meecemedia.com
Elizabeth Hipp, 832.824.2108, emhipp@texaschildrens.org

About Texas Children's Hospital Simulation Center - The Simulation Center at
Texas Children's Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility where healthcare
teams are trained in the management of rare, complex, and complicated patient
care events through a simulated clinical environment. As the only center of
its kind in Texas, and one of the largest among the few pediatric simulation
centers in the United States, the Pediatric Simulation Center at Texas
Children's Hospital is committed to using simulation education as a teaching
tool to save lives and improve patient care and safety. For more information,
visit www.texaschildrens.org.

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital

Nicole Truscinski, +1-212-677-2748, nicole@meecemedia.com; or Elizabeth Hipp,
+1-832-824-2108, emhipp@texaschildrens.org