The new simulation lab will help prepare the university’s nursing, occupational therapy, and physician assistant students for their careers.
Milligan University has opened its new Ballad Health Simulation Lab, which was made possible by a $1 million gift from Ballad Health. The Ballad Health Simulation Lab will help prepare the university’s nursing, occupational therapy, and physician assistant students for their careers by providing opportunities for clinical simulations.
According to an article on Milligan University's website, University President Dr. Stephen Waers was quoted as saying of the new facility, “The new high-fidelity simulation lab is a testament to the long-standing partnership between Milligan University and Ballad Health. The shared investment between Ballad Health and Milligan University in building the simulation lab shows a mutual commitment to advancing healthcare education, improving practiced readiness and enhancing the quality of care provided in our local communities.”
The Ballad Health Simulation Lab contains high-fidelity manikins that can provide students with a wide range of scenarios, including cardiac and respiratory function, measurable blood pressure, glucose monitoring, ultrasound-guided assessment, labor and childbirth, and cardiac arrest. Students will have access to these manikins and will be able to practice the skills needed to respond to these scenarios before they are placed in clinical settings and experience them in real life.
Dr. Ashleigh Lingerfelt, the area chair of occupational therapy, explained that the Ballad Health Simulation Lab will provide even more opportunities for students to receive instructor feedback. She said, “The simulation lab will provide opportunities for realistic, hands-on practice in clinical situations while receiving immediate feedback from faculty.”
Another benefit to students learning in the Ballad Health Simulation Lab is that it provides opportunities for students in the nursing, occupational therapy, and physician assistant programs to work in collaboration, mirroring the environment of interdisciplinary interaction they will experience in real healthcare settings.
Dr. Melinda Collins, Ballad Chair of Nursing at Milligan, said, “This unique opportunity prepares our graduates to communicate effectively across disciplines and deliver high-quality, patient-centered care as part of a health care team.”
Ballad Health is a clinical rotation site for the university’s nursing, occupational therapy, and physician assistant students. The new simulation lab will essentially serve as a talent pipeline, ensuring that Ballad Health is receiving well-trained students to serve in its facilities during clinical rotations.
Eric Deaton, Ballad Health’s chief operating officer, said, “Growing a pipeline of skilled, qualified clinicians in our region is one of the most important things we can do to address the healthcare workforce shortage. The work of Ballad Health isn’t limited to the care provided in our facilities. We’re also committed to strengthening the future of our region, and that means working with partners like Milligan University and other academic institutions to develop the healthcare workforce our communities need. Milligan has a long tradition of preparing healthcare professionals who lead with skill, compassion and a heart for service, and this new simulation lab will help further support the development of servant-leaders in the nursing field. The students and professionals who benefit from this facility will enter their healthcare careers better prepared to meet the needs of patients, strengthening our workforce and improving lives across the region for years to come.”
Dr. Andy Hull, the area chair of physician assistant studies, explained that the lab will enhance the student experience and deepen their clinical skills. He said, “Through hands-on simulation, students will strengthen critical thinking, communication and confidence while learning how to respond to situations they will encounter in clinical practice. This deeper level of experiential learning will enhance our students’ preparation and help equip them to provide excellent, compassionate care to patients throughout our region and beyond.”
The university expects that its Ballad Health Simulation Lab will attract and retain students in these programs, and that it will have an effect on both the university and the community as a whole. More student interest may mean an expansion of these programs, and more individuals who have been prepared to work within the Appalachian Highlands can help alleviate the region’s healthcare workforce shortage.
For more information about Milligan University, visit the school’s website.