Medical Nursing Orientation sim allows new nursing team members to acclimate
The UAB Medical Division is putting “Sim First” into practice.
“Sim First” is UAB Clinical Simulation’s motto, ensuring that ample opportunities are available for individuals and teams across UAB Medicine and beyond to practice—or Sim First—before they deliver care. In collaboration with Clinical Simulation, the UAB Medical Division Orientation Committee (MDOC) developed an immersive simulation to acclimate new nursing staff to UAB Medicine.
“The purpose of the MDOC is to design and implement a comprehensive orientation program that effectively integrates new nursing staff into the organization,” explained Sasha Harris, MDOC’s senior director of nursing services. “This committee aims to develop and maintain a thorough understanding of UAB Medical Division values, policies and procedures, while fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.”
The Medical Nursing Orientation simulation is case in point. All nurses hired into the Medical Division are required to participate, Harris said, as part of “facilitating a smooth transition, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and promoting a culture of excellence in patient care.”
The immersive simulation finds learners rotating through four stations, addressing a variety of interactive patient scenarios, featuring health-care simulation manikins and standardized patients (a person trained to portray a patient, demonstrating medical history, physical exam findings and emotional responses to provide learners with a realistic experience).
The goals of the program, Harris explained, are to:
- Equip new staff with essential information regarding institutional policies, procedures and best practices to ensure they are well prepared to deliver high-quality patient care from day one;
- Instill a strong understanding of safety protocols, ethical standards and regulatory requirements to ensure all staff adhere to the highest standard of medical practice and patient care;
- Provide access to continuing education resources, training sessions and mentorship programs that support the ongoing professional growth and development of new nursing staff;
- Establish mechanisms for new staff to provide feedback on the orientation process, enabling the committee to continuously refine and improve the program to better meet the needs of future cohorts; and
- Facilitate opportunities for new hires to build relationships with colleagues and interdisciplinary teams, fostering a diverse, collaborative and supportive work environment that enhances overall team performance.
“Clinical Simulation has been a great partner to Medical Nursing,” Harris said. “The simulation department has helped put our vision into action to help us retain our employees and make a difference for our new hires.”
To learn how simulation can assist your department or team, email simulation@uabmc.edu.
UAB Medicine’s Clinical Simulation program offers opportunities for individuals and teams across UAB Medicine and beyond to practice before they deliver care. We encourage all who provide and support patient care to “Sim First.” Together, we can put our patients’ safety first.
0 Comments