Westminster College dedicated its new high-fidelity nursing simulation lab on Friday, Oct. 25, unveiling the space that will give nursing students the hands-on and vital learning experiences needed to develop life-saving and wellness-enhancing skills.

Housed on the second floor of the Hoyt Science Center, the new sim lab will benefit Westminster’s growing number of nursing students, as well as health care professionals and first responders interested in augmenting their skills.

“This simulation lab is a dream come true,” said Westminster College President Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson. “It will provide state-of-the-art equipment to advance nursing and health care education and offer our students—and we hope others in our community—the opportunity to have this hands-on experience.”

The first part of Phase Four of the expansion and renovation of Westminster’s Hoyt Science Center, the sim lab was made possible by three grants and three private donor gifts totaling more than $850,000.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) provided a $437,351 grant through its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative, which directs federal resources to economic diversification projects in Appalachian communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations. and coal-related supply chain industries.

Regionally, the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners approved $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, while the Buhl Regional Health Foundation offered a $93,000 grant, both recognizing the crucial impact Westminster plays in the region’s economic development. By training in Westminster’s innovative and state-of-the-art sim lab and partnering with UPMC Jameson School of Nursing, today’s students can prepare for viable career paths in nursing and health care that could potentially refuel the area’s workforce.

“The Lawrence County Commissioners, the ARC, the Buhl Regional Health Foundation, individual donors—they got behind Westminster’s vision for this next step in preparing our students,” said Dr. Jamie McMinn, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. “They made a gift and that gift is truly an investment in these students. It’s also an investment in Westminster’s community—Lawrence County—where we know there are people who do not have reliable access to health care when they need it. We want to be part of the answer to the health care challenges we face.”

“This college, for decades, has been on the leading edge of technology, today being no exception,” said Lawrence County Commissioner Chairman and Westminster alumnus Dan Vogler ’81, who spoke of the College’s relationship with the county. “This college is one of Lawrence County’s economic powerhouses. Your economic impact is far-reaching, not just in the borough of New Wilmington, but throughout all of Lawrence County.”

In addition to benefiting the 23 nursing majors, 59 pre-nursing majors and 86 UPMC affiliated students taking courses at Westminster, the sim lab also has the potential to serve as a resource for students majoring in disciplines other than nursing, such as biology, molecular biology, neuroscience, chemistry and biochemistry.

The high-fidelity simulation lab provides a space for students to develop critical judgment skills by using real-life patient experiences. Through simulation training, students can practice and hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment in preparation for real patient care.

“Simulation can improve skill performance, foster teamwork and collaboration, and improve confidence. The simulation experience allows the learner the opportunity to reflect on their performance in a safe and non-judgmental environment to prepare them for real-life experiences,” said Dr. Maria Sapienza, chair of Westminster’s Department of Nursing, adding that simulation areas are equipped with recording devices so students can view their performances and reflect on areas of strength as well as areas they would like to improve.

The sim lab is equipped with five lifelike manikins, including a newborn, infant, teen and two adults, all of which have programmable vital signs, pulses, breath and bowel sounds and breathing patterns. The manikins can also blink and speak with programmable software. Students can practice IV and catheter insertions, intubation, wound care, dressing changes and feeding tube placements.

“The addition of advanced interactive manikins is a game-changing opportunity and I am confident that these tools will help future nurses excel in assessment and patient interaction skills,” said Elizabeth Grove, a senior nursing major from Meadville, Pa. “Practicing high-stakes scenarios in a safe environment is invaluable and I am excited to have the opportunity to build our knowledge and skills in responding to emergencies.”

The lab also features standard medical equipment such as hospital beds, crash carts, intravenous infusion pumps, feeding pumps, an electrocardiogram machine, glucometer and a defibrillator. An observation room with recording equipment will enable students to view their lab performances.

Another highlight of the lab is a 3D virtual cadaver dissection table, which will allow students to conduct simulated cadaver dissections using real cadaver images. The table will also enable students to study the anatomy of each organ and view animations of physiological processes of organ systems.

For more information about the simulation lab, please contact Dr. Maria Sapienza, assistant professor and chair of the nursing department, at 724-946-7473 or sapienma@westminster.edu or visit www.westminster.edu/simlab.

More Stories