Rolling out life-saving training across Nebraska

Training vehicles travel state to simulate real-life emergency rooms and ambulances and are equipped with mannequins that simulate human patients.

Four highly specialized vehicles make their way from Norfolk, Lincoln, Kearney, and Scottsbluff to every part of Nebraska.

Outfitted with the latest in custom medical training and high-fidelity patient simulators, the 44-foot-long vehicles — and the University of Nebraska Medical Center experts who travel with them — provide critical, hands on training to medical first responders, hospital care givers and others across the state who are often the first ones responsible for saving lives.

The COPIC Medical Foundation of Denver has made a $75,000 gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the Simulation in Motion-Nebraska (SIM-NE) program that was successfully launched this year by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and various partners.

The SIM-NE program and its vehicles can simulate real-life emergency rooms and ambulances and are equipped with mannequins that simulate human patients by speaking, breathing, reacting to treatment and more. They are currently based in Norfolk, Lincoln, Kearney and Scottsbluff and travel the state to provide emergency medical training at no charge.

“Seeing the responses of the EMS providers, nurses, and allied health personnel as they receive training using the latest state-of-the-art equipment to simulate rare but very serious medical conditions is a tremendous reward,” said Project Director Brian Monaghan, NRP, MPA. “The gift from COPIC Medical Foundation helps to ensure we’re able to continue to improve the program and provide training to even more people.”

SIM-NE is made possible through a partnership of educational institutions, academic departments representing a number of disciplines, charitable organizations, and public agencies that are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Nebraskans. With the equipment, technology and skilled training used by SIM-NE, the university is helping to better prepare medical professionals in rural areas and critical access hospitals.

“It’s very gratifying that the knowledge and skills that are gained during these training sessions will improve the care of our neighbors and friends who may need assistance in an emergency situation,” said Paul Paulman, M.D., professor of family medicine and the project’s primary investigator. “We’re pleased that COPIC Medical Foundation truly understands the importance of education in saving lives.”

A leadership grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust provided initial resources to the university to start the SIM-NE program and to purchase its first simulation-enabled vehicles while providing a three-year, step-down plan of program support.

Rural emergency medical service agencies and rural critical access hospitals can request training at unmc.edu/SIM-NE. For more information, contact SIM-NE at [email protected] or 402 559-4863.

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