BERLIN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Virtua Health in New Jersey has opened a new simulation center in Camden County, as a training tool for hospital residents and employees on operating room procedures.
A large portion of its Berlin Health and Wellness Center had been shut down for years. Recently, Virtua officials decided to make use of the empty space.
“The first time we came here, there were boxes and it was really a bunch of storage. In a matter of four months and a couple coats of paint we cleaned it all up, and now we have this safe learning space,” said Anne-Marie Palatnik, Virtua’s vice president of clinical learning and research.
The remodel started in September, and now Virtua’s surgical residents and employees are using the multi-room simulation center to practice in a low-stakes environment. Director of Surgical Education Dr. Brendan McCracken says there was little, if any, room for error during his own residency, highlighting the value of the sim center.
“There was a lot of terror. Everything was high-stakes,” he said. “Here it’s a little more relaxed, mistakes can be made and we can correct them.”
First-year surgical resident Dr. Heather Waring says her schedule gives her time to go over operational procedures in the low-stakes setting.
“Outside of just working, the plan is that we, as long as we give them notice, can come here and just practice whenever we want as long as it’s within reasonable times,” Waring said.
Third-year resident Dr. Ramsey Sitta says it’s valuable to get hands-on training outside of the pressure-packed operating room. “It’s a safe place to make mistakes basically,” he said. “Nobody’s gonna care if I mess up with the stapler here. This is a pig intestine.”
The Berlin sim center is Virtua’s second such facility. The Voorhees hospital has simulation rooms for labor and delivery, critical care, and emergency department procedure. McCracken says the center is a promising step forward for Virtua’s teaching capabilities.
“The concept of being able to expand our education offerings at Virtua is very exciting to me. I would love to make this a medical education mecca, effectively,” he said.