Gov. Heineman impressed with UNMC following tour

Cheryl Thompson, Ph.D., assistant dean for informatics at the College of Nursing, helps Gov. Dave Heineman listen to the heart rate of a patient simulator in the college’s individual skills lab on Wednesday.

Viewing cutting edge radiation therapy treatment methods and listening to the heart beat and breathing pattern of a patient simulator left Gov. Dave Heineman singing UNMC’s praises after a tour of the medical center Wednesday.

“Awesome. Impressive,” Heineman said when asked about his thoughts on UNMC following the tour. “I’m very glad that we have this capability right here in Nebraska.”

While visiting the College of Nursing, the governor heard educator and student perspectives on how patient simulators — also called standardized patients — play a vital role in the education of future physicians and nurses.

Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the College of Nursing, and Jay Moore, M.D., senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Medicine, told Heineman the standardized patients help students learn and practice techniques and procedures in a safe environment.

“It used to be our students would learn using a ‘see one, do one, teach one’ method,” Dr. Moore said. “We’re changing that with this technology.”

Senior nursing student Jason McClaren told Heineman the standardized patients help him gain a level of comfort and confidence that is useful in dealing with live patients in clinical settings.

Heineman also viewed the Novalis and Calypso radiation therapy systems that are used to treat cancer patients at UNMC’s hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center.

Charles Enke, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Radiation Oncology Department, right, performs a demonstration of the Calypso radiation therapy system for Gov. Dave Heineman on Wednesday.

Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center and Charles Enke, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Radiation Oncology Department, joined Timothy Solberg, Ph.D., Paul Medin, Ph.D., and Ryan Foster, Ph.D. – all from the radiation oncology department – in showing the governor how these advanced radiation systems target tumors while sparing healthy tissues.

Heineman was particularly impressed with an image of a lung tumor that was almost completely eradicated after just a few treatments with the Novalis system.

He said having such advanced technology — which many high-profile medical centers lack — is part of what makes him proud UNMC represents Nebraska.

“I’m very proud of UNMC’s employees and the work they do,” Heineman said. “We need to find a way to make sure people know what’s going on here.”

Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., thanked the governor for taking time to visit the campus.

“I wanted him to learn about some of UNMC’s new initiatives and successes,” Dr. Maurer said. “The governor is a friend of UNMC and we welcome the opportunity to brief him periodically.”

During a lunch before his tour, Heineman heard about other new medical center initiatives from Jay Noren, M.D., dean of the College of Public Health; John Reinhardt, D.D.S., dean of the College of Dentistry; Jennifer Larsen, M.D., associate dean for clinical research in the College of Medicine; Jane Potter, M.D., professor and chief of the section of geriatrics and gerontology; and Steve Smith, M.D., chief medical officer at The Nebraska Medical Center.