A University of Iowa program called Simulation in Motion-Iowa hit a big milestone this week in their quest to provide emergency health care providers across the state with ongoing education. Jacinda Bunch, a professor in the UI Nursing Department and the program’s top advisor, shared that after three long years, they have completed training in all 99 counties in Iowa, reaching over 10,000 individuals. The latest stop in Chickasaw County marked the achievement of this significant goal.
Bunch emphasized the importance of the program, stating, “We’re able to offer hands-on clinical simulation for critical access hospitals, rural hospitals, EMS providers, first responders, and even community members interested in enhancing health outcomes for Iowans statewide.” The program operates with three large trucks and three teams of highly skilled staff who have been traveling with their mobile simulators since 2022, covering a distance equivalent to circling the globe three times. Bunch highlighted the vital service they provide, giving individuals the opportunity to practice hands-on skills and care for patients in critical situations to sharpen their critical thinking and clinical abilities, ultimately working towards enhancing healthcare for Iowans.
The mobile simulators are equipped with emergency equipment and “human patient simulators” representing an adult man, an adult woman, a child, a baby, and a premature infant. These trucks roll into towns with everything required for a full training simulation, including a simulated emergency room setup on the right side, complete with slide-outs to expand the space. Bunch explained, “We have all the equipment and supplies you’d find in an emergency room for providers to use, and towards the back, it’s set up like an ambulance.” After achieving their goal of visiting all 99 counties, Bunch mentioned plans to raise the bar higher by training more teams and connecting with individuals they haven’t reached yet, emphasizing the importance of building relationships within communities and offering support to enhance the excellent work already being done. The program initially started with one mobile simulator truck but now operates with three trucks, aiming to visit all 99 counties annually.
