Educators at AdventHealth Castle Rock have launched a new Simulation Lab aimed at improving hands-on learning for healthcare staff. The lab was made possible through the donation of three manikins from AdventHealth University.
“We’re very excited about the possibilities this Sim Lab brings for education,” said Kelly Burd, educator at AdventHealth Castle Rock. “Having access to both high-fidelity and low-fidelity manikins allows our teams to practice everything from basic skills to complex patient simulations.”
The facility includes a high-fidelity adult manikin designed for detailed patient scenarios, a low-fidelity adult manikin used for fundamental clinical skills, and a high-fidelity baby manikin. The Simulation Lab is housed in a converted patient room, which helps create an environment that closely resembles actual clinical settings.
“Ellery Reed made it possible for us to take over an actual patient room,” Burd explained. “We can keep all of our teaching equipment in one space, which is also very helpful.”
The lab’s use extends beyond nursing staff. “This space is available for other disciplines—therapy, respiratory therapy, technicians—the options are endless,” Burd emphasized.
The new setup will support various educational activities such as unit orientation and skills fairs and will introduce innovative approaches like escape rooms tailored to healthcare scenarios. “We’re introducing ‘escape rooms’ where learners solve puzzles related to patient care. My plan is to run our first escape room for house supervisors in October.”
Burd also noted improvements in workspace efficiency with the addition of the dedicated simulation area: “Housing all the equipment in the office with six educators was getting congested. The educators feel so much better now that we’ve cleaned up their space.”
AdventHealth Castle Rock aims to enhance collaboration and realism in medical training through this initiative.
AdventHealth Orlando, located in Orlando, Florida, was founded in 1908 and serves as both a hospital with pediatric facilities and a training institution under its current president Terry Shaw.
