By Nakayla McClelland
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Presbyterian Healthcare Services recently unveiled the HALL, a 25,200-square-foot learning lab dedicated to giving healthcare workers a space to learn new skills while enhancing old skills.
The $6 million HALL — Healthcare Advanced Learning Lab — includes eight simulation rooms — four inpatients, an emergency room, one clinical room, an apartment meant to simulate how first responders would react to a home call and a post-operation room. All of the simulation rooms put students and new hires in situations similar to what they will face in the clinical world. The learning lab is the largest, state-of-the-art simulation facility in New Mexico, according to Presbyterian.
The space is designed to look like Presbyterian hospitals so program graduates can easily transfer skills to a clinical setting.
“This is going to provide a safe space for all of our clinical staff to come and learn when they’re new hires or even if they’re here as employees,” said Zach Fierro, director of clinical education at Presbyterian. “This is a place for them to validate their skills and for us to teach them what we would like to see as how we would like our patients and members to be cared for.”
Each simulation room features a high-fidelity mannequin, a large camera in the corner of each room and a connecting control room. Through the control room, instructors can use programming to change the mannequins’ vitals, like raising blood pressure or changing heartbeat rhythms.
Program participants would be tested on their reaction time and response, as well as their use of the real equipment located in each room. Each interaction is recorded so instructors and students can evaluate responses to situations.
“It’s a safe place to learn and make mistakes,” Fierro said.
To increase the realism, certain mannequins will feature virtual reality or augmented reality goggles. Students will wear the goggles and instructors can create visual simulations similar to the clinical situations so participants can see and feel realistic reactions to each situation.
“When you get a chance to practice in this environment, you can experience all the scary things, but they’re really not real,” said Holly Muller, chief nursing officer at Presbyterian Healthcare Services. “Now you’ve learned the process and how to provide great evidence-based care to your patient, and you’ve also got your emotions under control.”
Since its opening on Oct. 14, roughly 200 students have gone through the program, with another 40 new hires expected to go through training before the end of the year. Each hire spends between three days to one week going through a variety of simulations offered at the HALL.
The HALL was originally created to address the shortage of healthcare workers in New Mexico. It is currently supporting a partnership with Unitek Learning and Brookline College to offer a bachelor’s of science in nursing and a practical nurse associate degree to Presbyterian employees.
Though the program is currently focusing on nursing, Presbyterian hopes to expand access of the HALL to include other medical professions, like respiratory therapy, radiology or workers in other specialty medical programs. Presbyterian also hopes to create a partnership with middle and high schools to allow their students to access the medical field for the first time and get professional exposure.
“This has been specially designed for the entire interprofessional health care team, thinking about also our community partners, thinking how we can really integrate our approach in interprofessional education and training,” Muller said. “Now we have the most advanced lab in the state and we’re going to continue to stay on top of that, and we want to be able to share that with our partners throughout the state, in the interest of great health care for New Mexico .”
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