Dorner - Villeneuve Simulation Education Center
The Clinical Simulation Education program began in 2009 and is part of the Clinical Professional Development Department at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. In 2014, the program moved to the new location in the Dorner - Villeneuve Simulation Education Center.
This center resembles our current hospital, consisting of three medical/surgical rooms, ICU, emergency room, exam room and OR suite. The center is equipped with the latest AV system for video streaming and recording and high-fidelity mannequins that breathe, talk, and allow most of the procedures. Our mannequin patients include four adult males, one pregnant female, 5-year-old child, 1-year-old child, newborn, and premature baby. Volunteers also play the part of patients when natural conversation and emotions are required.
Simulation Education Center Staff
Samples of Simulation Offerings:
- Communication Simulations including giving bad news, informed consent, advanced medical directives, and disclosing of medical error.
- Inter-professional Mock Codes
- Medical and Nurse Residency Simulations
- Nursing Competency Simulations – specific to departments
- Interview Simulation Circuits
- Nurse Camp
Nurse Camp
In the summer of 2022, the Dorner-Villeneuve Simulation Education Center introduced a Nurse Camp for 7th and 8th grade students. Each session offers 20 campers a chance to experience hands-on nursing activities. The camp highlights four different aspects of nursing: caregiver, detective, scientist and teacher.
Caregiver
The campers are assigned in groups of five to a charge nurse that is active Registered Nurse working in the hospital. The campers will learn to perform CPR, administer first aid, use an AED, and transport patients safely using lifting equipment. Campers will participate in interactive sessions with expert nurses from various departments and complete a virtual tour of the hospital.
Detective
The campers practice taking vital signs, learn the basics of medication, identify lab tests and broken bones. The finale of the camp requires teamwork and skill as the campers conquer a Nurse-themed Escape Room and a scavenger hunt activity that walks through the steps of taking a patient from admission all the way to discharge.
Scientist
The campers use heart and lung models to discover the amazing ability of the human body. The campers also learn how extract DNA from strawberries and map the different areas of the brain.
Teacher
The campers will experience firsthand the role of nurses as a teacher, as each activity is led by a nurse. The camp will also highlight prominent nurses from history and current nurses from UnityPoint Health Des Moines.
As nursing shortages continue, the ability to expose and excite youth to nursing as a career is vital. The camp concludes with a pinning ceremony for the campers.
The Simulation Center team has enjoyed developing this camp and feel privileged to part of this project. Our goal is to continue to offer this camp annually and to add a more advanced second year camp.
