LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — HCA Healthcare's Far West Division has unveiled a new, state-of-the-art simulation and training center dedicated to giving medical staff real-world experience in the classroom.
The HCA Healthcare Center for Clinical Advancement (HCCAA) is a 15,000 square foot facility adjacent to Southern Hills Hospital in the southern part of the Valley.
WATCH | Anyssa Bohanan got a tour of the training center and all the new technology helping to train the next generation.
It's the newest of 18 HCA Healthcare Simulation Centers in the country and the first to open in the Las Vegas Valley.
Among the tools used in the training centers are realistic mannequins.
"There are other simulation centers in the Valley, but ours is the first of its kind to have this level of health technology," said Todd Schoen, HCA's Director of Simulation Technology.
Many of the mannequins, Schoen says, can have their blood pressure taken, and have their lungs, pulse, and even bowel or stomach sounds observed.
"Our aim is to be as realistic as possible," Schoen said.
In addition to the mannequins, the center also offers High-Fidelity and Medication Simulation Labs, connected classrooms, debrief rooms, and skills labs.
The HHCCA will serve more than 7,000 nurses, residents and clinical staff, allowing them to build confidence and sharpen their skills without a risk to patients.
"It's all about safety," Schoen said. "If you're going to make a mistake, we'd rather have you do it on Apollo here than on your loved one for my loved one."
The Center, Schoen says, won't just help to prepare the next generation of clinical staff in Southern Nevada. It will also ensure that patients in the Las Vegas Valley are getting the very best from their providers.
All new nurses participate in 8 to 10 simulations as part of a several-month-long program when they first begin working at HCA. Once they work in facilities, they'll go in at least quarterly to see if there have been any updates since the last time they trained.