NEOAHEC’s Simulation Expansion: From Patient Actors to a Family of High-Fidelity Manikins
In 2009, like most other programs, NEOAHEC’s MedQuest camp relied on students acting out medical scenarios with fake wounds and symptoms. Fast forward to today, and NEOAHEC has made a huge leap with the acquisition of two high-fidelity simulation manikins—an adult male and a child—and has recently secured funding for high-fidelity obstetric and neonatal manikins as well. With the help of our new Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist (CHSOS), this new family of manikins can make facial expressions, talk, cry, bleed, and breathe. NEOAHEC is building a robust simulation program that prepares healthcare students and professionals and for high-risk real-life medical scenarios.
A few years ago, NEOAHEC purchased its first high-fidelity manikin, HAL® S3201 Advanced Multipurpose Patient Simulator, which has mostly been used by the OHSU School of Nursing in La Grande by both nursing students and during MedQuest. Then NEOAHEC bought the Pediatric HAL® S2225 - Wireless and Tetherless Pediatric Patient Simulator, allowing the program to use high-fidelity manikins to simulate both adult and pediatric medical cases. The simulators have recently begun to branch out into the community, with trainings at the Grande Ronde Hospital on the calendar and others being planned now.
These two manikins have allowed for NEOAHEC’s newest employee, Danielle Patton, CHSOS, to begin to develop a simulation program, but there was still a piece missing—obstetrics. This year, NEOAHEC applied for a grant from the United States government to purchase NOELLE® with Newborn TORY® S575.100 - Advanced Maternal and Neonatal Care Simulation Package. The grant was part of a larger initiative by Senator Jeff Merkley with support from Ron Wyden to invest in Oregon’s families and rural communities, and a total of $163,000 was awarded to NEOAHEC. The acquisition of these obstetric and newborn manikins will work towards filling the gap left by the closure of the Baker City Labor and Delivery Department. As Dani puts it, “By offering specialized training for first responders and OB units throughout the region, we aim to ensure healthcare professionals are fully prepared to manage the increased demand for maternal and neonatal care. This training is especially vital in rural areas, where patients frequently face long travel distances to receive the care they need, and local healthcare providers must be ready to handle emergencies with limited resources.” The hospital, which delivered 90% of all local babies and served a population of 16,000, is closing its OB unit due to declining births and staffing shortages. This means expectant parents will now have to travel more than 40 miles through a mountain pass to La Grande for maternity care, raising concerns about the safety of mothers and babies, especially in emergencies.
This new OB simulation initiative will provide life-saving training for healthcare professionals across Northeast Oregon. NEOAHEC will offer healthcare professionals, including EMTs, RNs, and first responders, hands-on, realistic training to improve their response to OB emergencies. This program will not only serve hospitals and clinics but also extend training to tribal clinics, midwifery centers, and other healthcare partners across the region.
NEOAHEC is excited to see this simulation program grow, equipping healthcare providers in rural areas with the tools and skills they need to offer high-quality care to families close to home.