The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program has been participating in Human Simulation work since 1994 when we developed and offered a Anesthesia Crisis Management Course for CRNAs.  Our simulation program has improved dramatically over the last several years with the construction of the Human Simulation Lab in the School of Nursing and the relocation of the Winter Institute for Simulation in Education and Research (WISER).  The School of Nursing facility is located on the second floor adjacent to the School of Nursing Skills Lab and our Simulation Lab is a state of the art facility designed to facilitate 'full context' simulation programs.  The educational approach is to have learning occur in an environment that is as close as possible to reality in order to promote more effective learning. 

The WISER institute is a much larger simulation center developed in a partnership between the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine, Center for Emergency Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and the Laerdal Corporation.  John O’Donnell CRNA, DrPH, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia Program works with WISER as Associate Director, Nursing Programs.  This partnership optimizes the educational experiences for students in the Nurse Anesthesia Program. Visit the WISER website for more information about this world renowned educational facility.

The School of Nursing Simulation Lab contains the MPL/Laerdal SimMan™ Human Simulator, an Ohmeda Anesthesia Gas Machine, a Dräger Anesthesia Gas Machine, an anesthesia cart, an emergency cart, a malignant hyperthermia (MH) cart, OR supplies, critical care supplies, gas supply, vacuum, OR lights, intercom, and alarm systems.  The lab has full audiovisual capability with two active cameras, audio and video mixers, monitor, and VCR recorder. 

Educational simulation activities currently offered in the Nurse Anesthesia Program include:

First Year

• Preparation for Clinical Practice

• Problem-based Management for Adults and Children

Second Year

• Crisis Management Team Training (with MD residents)

• Problem Based Management

• Trauma Call

• Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management

Additional offerings in the School of Nursing include the undergraduate nursing Critical Care Course, (junior undergraduate students), Hypotension Simulation (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner students), Transition to Clinical Practice (senior undergraduate students), CE events for CRNAs, and a variety of community outreach projects. 

Working within the Sim Lab and with a human simulator means that trainees must suspend their disbelief long enough to forget that the environment and patient are not real.  It isn't difficult when the "patient" speaks (from an embedded microphone), generates EKG output, breath sounds (both normal and abnormal), bowel sounds, exhales carbon dioxide, and produces heart tones and pulses.  Computerized controls and software allow simulation of tongue edema, laryngospasm, airway obstruction, and various cardiac arrhythmias.  Students perform pre scripted scenarios, are videotaped, undergo debriefing, and often receive a short lecture on the key points behind the event.  Students not actually in the simulation lab may view the events from one of four integrated multimedia classroom settings.