GREENWOOD— A new immersive simulation room at Franciscan Health's Education Center is helping train doctors, nurses, EMTs, and hospital staff through cutting-edge interactive technology.
“If you touch on the wall here, an example of charting pops up,” demonstrtes Josee Harrell, the clinical educator of simualtion. “We are in a simulation room that has three walls of high-tech, high-fi projection. The walls are interactive as well, which is what makes it different."
The what can be put up on the walls is actual pictures inside the hospital.
“We want to put people in environments that are realistic,” Harrell said.
Harrell says the goal is to create realistic environments where medical professionals can safely practice procedures and emergency responses.
“And they go through the motions and they make a mistake here. When they make a mistake here, they remember those feelings, they remember the emotions tied to that. All the learning that occurs here helps prevent those mistakes from happening where it really matters,” Harrell said.
The room isn’t just for medical emergencies — it can also be used for studying or lectures.
The goal is to expand beyond hospital staff by including local first responders and community members.
“It really sets us apart — when I wrote the proposal for this, I was like let’s do something innovative and engaging, something that sets us apart,” Harrell said.
Franciscan Health will host an open house for the new simulation room on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 3 to 5 p.m. inside the Education Center in Greenwood.
Hospital staff say they’re eager to hear other ways the community could use the space.
