Curricular Integration

State-of-the-Art Simulation Center

Simulation is a highly valued student-focused educational experience that puts ECU Nurse Anesthesia Program at the forefront of nurse anesthesia education. The simulation laboratory provides a safe learning environment that allows the student to learn technical and procedural knowledge (know how) and, as importantly, integrate it with their didactic (know what) and conditional knowledge (know when) bases. In this way our state-of-the-art simulation center helps student apply their knowledge bases within practical case-based scenarios.

Our simulation lab was designed and built to provide a realistic environment for applying physiologic and pharmacologic principles to nurse anesthesia practice.

• Datex-Ohmeda Aestiva 3000 is equipped with Tec 5 (Isoflurane), Tec 6 (Desflurane) and Tec 7 (Sevoflurane)vaporizers
• BIS monitors, IV infusion pumps, fluid warmers, Electric OR table
• Glidescopes, fiberoptic scopes, and jet ventilator

In the ECU Nurse Anesthesia Program high and low fidelity simulation are integral to each course as clinical and didactic principles are taught and reinforced through case-based instruction.

• Initial skill sets such as induction, intubation, airway management, monitoring and emergence are taught/ reinforced in the Anesthesia Lab using task trainers and High Fidelity Simulators
• Advanced skills such as IV, A-line, and central line insertion and many regional techniques are taught with a wide variety of task trainers
• Regional Anesthesia taught through multimodal instructional program
• • Gross anatomy class with accompanying Clinical Correlations course that reinforces the clinical application aspects of anatomy
  • Task Trainer labs
  • Pain center rotation with clinical experience placing epidurals using fluoroscopy
• Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia instruction
• • Full functioning portable ultrasound equipment
  • Dedicated ultrasound task trainers
• Crisis Resource Management with rarely encountered, high acuity scenarios

Recently undergoing a full technological upgrade, the learning center allows for audio/video streaming and recording for meaningful scenario debriefing in the anesthesia conference center.

Simulation Lab Gallery