Simulation at UF

Is your simulation activity missing from this page? Please email Dr. Sem Lampotang with details of your simulation and we will be glad to add it!

College of Dentistry   |   College of Medicine   |   College of Nursing   |   College of Pharmacy   |   College of Public Health & Health Professions   |   College of Veterinary Medicine   |   UF AHC/Jax Campus   |   Academic Health Center Library   |   McKnight Brain Institute   |   Genetics Institute   |   Clinical Translational Sciences Institute   |   Institute on Aging   |   UF Health Cancer Center   |   Emerging Pathogens Institute   |   College of Engineering   |   College of Liberal Arts   |   Healthcare Partners


College of Dentistry

Please inform Gail Schneider Childs of new developments in simulation in the College of Dentistry.

The College of Dentistry fully-digital high-definition simulation lab

The Human Patient Simulator is used during a “Pediatric Sedation and ACLS Training” course for practicing pediatric dentists in the State of Florida.


College of Medicine

Please inform Dr. Sem Lampotang of new developments in simulation in the College of Medicine.

Anesthesiology

In their first few weeks of anesthesiology residency, incoming anesthesiology residents work intensively with different types of simulators, including the Human Patient Simulator, as part of a Basic Skills course, held at the CSSALT lab.

Web-enabled simulation portfolio – most simulations are free and open to the public.

Center for Safety, Simulation, & Advanced Learning Technologies (CSSALT)

The Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies, CSSALT, provides education, training, and services to:

  • University of Florida (UF) residents
  • UF/UF Health faculty
  • UF Health clinical personnel
  • UF/UF Health staff
  • clinicians in the state of Florida
  • UF health profession students (medical, veterinary, dental, engineering, other)
  • local and regional emergency personnel
  • industry executives and personnel worldwide

CSSALT builds on the legacy of a continuous and sustained research and development effort in simulation that began in 1985 with the Bain group under the direction of Drs. JS Gravenstein and Jan Beneken and remains active today in the development and application of simulation technology.

Find us at the UF CSSALT YouTube Channel.

Emergency Medicine

A tetherless mannequin patient simulator is used in the Big Aim simulation exercises for transfer of care process improvement.

In a digital educational board game developed by members of the Emergency Medicine Department, a board appears on the computer screen and the players roll digital dice and their game piece moves appropriately. The space landed on will have a category assigned and produce a question from that category. Correctly answering the question gives ownership of the space and awarding of points. Players subsequently landing on the space must answer another question from the category or lose equivalent points. The game proceeds until one player has circled the board three times or any player reaches a preset point total. The game is designed to import questions from a digital question bank that the user can edit.

Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center

The Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center uses Standardized Patients to perform clinical skills simulations and evaluate learners. Standardized patients are individuals trained to simulate signs and symptoms of specific ailments or who have stable, abnormal physical findings.

Medical School

Simulator Activities – Instructors

  • Mask ventilation and intubation – Pitkin, Giordano CSSALT
  • Hemodynamic Monitoring – Pitkin, Robinson CSSALT
  • Mechanical Ventilation – Alhomsi, Grek CSSALT
  • Conscious Sedation – N. Gravenstein CSSALT
  • Emergency Assessment – Wendling CSSALT
  • ACLS (basics) – Luria CSSALT
  • ACLS (certification) – Robicsek, Kiley CSSALT
  • Cardiovascular Physiology – Harman CSSALT
  • Common and Advanced Airway Procedures – Wendling CSSALT
  • Interdisciplinary Family Health discussion – N. Gravenstein, Susan Horky CSSALT

Dr. Rosenberg directs the College of Medicine’s Quality and Patient Safety Course and is working to  incorporate simulation into that curriculum.

Medical School Simulation Website

Neonatology

The Division of Neonatology owns a METI BabySIM mannequin (acquired through a grant to Dr. Weiss) located at the Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies. Dr. Michael Weiss uses the BabySIM to teach neonatology residents, UF Health flight nurses and anesthesiology residents. Among the courses taught by Drs. Michael Weiss and Julie Baines is the NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program).

Neurology

Dr Eisenschenk’s Driving simulator research objectives:

(1) To describe, determine, and predict the simulated driving performance characteristics (a) during simple and complex partial seizures with and without secondary generalization; and (b) associated with sleep-related disorders.

(2) To determine concurrent cognitive and performance tests predictive of poor driving performance in patients with seizures and sleep-related disorders.

Links:
STI Driving Simulator

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery residents train at CSSALT to learn some basic skills during their first few weeks in the neurosurgery residency program.

The Ventriculostomy Mixed Simulator is a collaborative development between the UF Neurosurgery Department and CSSALT

Obstetrics & Gynecology

To help train residents to perform laparoscopic surgery, we hold eight laparoscopy training labs per year. Every resident attends one lab in the fall and one in the spring. During their first lab, the interns receive personal laparoscopic trainers and are instructed on how to use them to practice basic laparoscopic skills.

A birthing simulator is used with residents, as needed, to review specific situations. Every medical student has a birthing simulation workshop in labor & delivery and a pelvic exam simulation workshop  in the Anaclerio Learning and Assessment Center center during clerkship orientation.

Orthopedic Surgery

Psychomotor and Surgical Skills Lab: Facility Manager: Chris Koenig

Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Dr. D. Silverman has been using simulations of the pharmacokinetics of one and two-compartment models in his classes to Physician Assistants.

Physiology

Dr. Scheuer is using a simulation of oxygen circulation for her respiratory physiology class.

School of Physician Assistant Studies

Alan Gindoff uses the Human Patient Simulator at CSSALT to teach PA students how to handle and avoid emergent situations.

Surgery

Surgical Simulator Laboratory

Virtual Anesthesia Machine (VAM) Simulation Site

The Virtual Anesthesia Machine website has grown from Dr. Lampotang’s assignment in 1992 to teach anesthesiology residents about the anesthesia machine. What began as a website to host a single simulation of a bellows anesthesia machine in 1999 has now evolved into the Virtual Anesthesia Machine web site and a web-enabled simulation portfolio available in up to 23 languages and 6 medical gas color codes and used worldwide. The 40 simulations available at the Virtual Anesthesia Machine web site have outgrown the “anesthesia” part of the name and now cover learning objectives beyond anesthesia. The Virtual Anesthesia Machine team is affiliated with the Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies.


College of Nursing

Please inform Dr. Jane M. Gannon, Director of Simulation-Based Learning, of new developments in simulation in the College of Nursing.

The College of Nursing employs simulation to enhance students’ cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills in nursing care delivery. They utilize a variety of simulation strategies advocated by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) as well as other guidelines and standards. These include the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).

The aim is to maximize student exposure to clinical experiences that are critical to developing competence as a nurse so they can deliver safe, high quality care across care settings. Students are exposed to a wide range of low to high fidelity simulations that help them develop skills in patient communication, integrate best evidence at the bedside, and foster decision making with their patients. Undergraduate and graduate students are exposed to simulation experiences so they are prepared to facilitate patients to achieve their optimum level of wellness.

The College of Nursing’s simulation resources range from the supplies found in a typical inpatient unit, to mannequins that mimic physiological changes in response to student actions. They provide simulation experiences on both the Gainesville campus in the Nursing Resource Center (NRC) and on the Jacksonville campus on the second floor of the UF Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research (CSESaR Center). They also collaborate with the Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine across both campuses in inter-professional simulation activities to foster open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. These skills are vital to reducing communication gaps and preventing medical errors in today’s complex healthcare settings.

Read more about the UF College of Nursing


College of Pharmacy

Pharmacokinetic Simulations developed by Hartmut Derendorf and Guenther Hochhaus

Virtual Human Pharmacy Patient


College of Public Health and Health Professions

Please inform Sherrilene Classen, PhD, MPH, OTR/L, of new developments in simulation in the College of Public Health & Health Professions.

The Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation houses the driving simulator.

Current projects, beyond older driver research,  that also use  the driving simulator are:

  • Simulated Driving Performance Issues of Returning Veterans with TBI/PTSD/Depression
  • Epilepsy and Driving Performance Project
  • VA Rural Health Mobility Project

College of Veterinary Medicine

The collaboration between University of Florida’s Health Science Center’s participants has allowed for translational teaching as well as research. Veterinary students, like medical students, have found the human patient simulator a valuable learning tool. The College of Veterinary Medicine currently uses the Human Patient Simulator to teach anesthesiology fundamentals, emergency resuscitation, and the administration and monitoring of neuromuscular blockade. Read more about this educational tool across medical disciplines.


UF Academic Health Center (AHC) Jacksonville Campus

The UF Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research (CSESaR) offers education through simulation and goal-directed training to promote quality patient care, expand patient safety initiatives, and enhance multidisciplinary health care.


Academic Health Center Library

Interactive simulations from the Virtual Anesthesia Machine portfolio are on exhibit in the AHC Library lobby.


College of Engineering

Virtual Experiences Research Group


College of Liberal Arts

Digital Worlds

Department of Psychology


Healthcare Partners

UF Health

Big Aim Transfer of Care Process Improvement

The multidisciplinary Big Aim group (that includes members from Anesthesiology, PACU, ICU, Nursing, CQI, Management Engineering, IT, CSSALT, etc.) is using simulation as part of a process improvement effort to enhance transfer-of-care and patient safety within UF Health.

Training of Nurses Via Simulation

In collaboration with CSSALT, UF Health nurses are using simulation in their training. Courses taught include Critical Care, ACLS (practice and certification), and PEARS training.

Simulation Training in Surgical Timeout

In collaboration with CSSALT, UF Health created a video for training in the surgical timeout and is using the Simulation OR for surgical timeout training sessions.

Video for Patient Education in Pressure Sore Prevention

In collaboration with CSSALT, Uf Health Risk Management has created a video educating patients about pressure sore prevention.

Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Gainesville

VA Simulation Center
Room Number B-500 4th Floor VAMC
Telephone 352-376-1611 Ext 7673
Contact:  Dr. Felipe Urdaneta

At The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center simulation is used frequently for hospital-wide teaching. A mannequin patient simulator is currently used for airway management training. Two different programs are run by Felipe Urdaneta and Chris Goldstein: one for anesthesiology residents and the other for non-anesthesia personnel.

For non-anesthesia practitioners (ED personnel, ICU, pulmonary fellows for MICU, intensivists, and respiratory therapists from the Lake City VA medical center), there is a monthly half-day course on airway management that is a requirement to get credentialed for airway management. For anesthesiology residents, one or two sessions per week are dedicated to airway management and rescue airway management. Our simulator can be programmed to do a variety of airway issues like CICV (cannot intubate, cannot ventilate), tongue edema, laryngospasm, etc.