Clinical perfusion open house

The campus is invited to an open house of the Clinical Perfusion Simulation Suite Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 9-11:30 a.m. in Eppley Science Hall 2004.

Visitors will see the repurposed six-room suite that features experiential simulation that mimics three operating rooms and two ICU rooms, plus a control room, all in focused proximity.

• One OR is dedicated to computer-driven practice on the use of a heart-lung machine. See how students have a chance to practice heart-lung machine preparation for open-heart surgery, then initiation/maintenance and termination of cardiopulmonary bypass.
  
• Another OR is dedicated to wet-lab disaster drills and development of troubleshooting, understanding root cause analysis of failure modes and then solving problems related to the operation of the heart-lung machine for cardiopulmonary bypass. This room provides for wet drills in a dynamic, high-speed and high-fidelity reality in order to help student perfusionists gain necessary skills.
  
• The third OR is dedicated to understanding and practicing skills for perioperative blood management. It is important that a clinical perfusionist become familiar with techniques of not only the equipment associated with blood salvage, but the challenges faced when dealing with using different types of cell-saving equipment.
  
• One intensive care room is dedicated to cardiac assist device applications such as implantable ventricular assist technology and intra-aortic balloon pump simulation.
  
• The other intensive care room is dedicated to the study of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO is a form of bypass that has both pump and artificial lung components.

Program director David Holt said the clinical perfusion profession lends itself to the type of experiential simulation education being adopted by UNMC.

“Having a facility such as this affords an opportunity for practice of the technology and skills assessment, including competency check-off,” he said.

“While having simulation is not uncommon in education in general and perfusion education in particular, having a dedicated suite of rooms to focus that technology on the unique pillars of practice in perfusion most certainly is.

“This is one of many ways in which Clinical Perfusion Education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center continues to lead the country by example,” Holt said.