(ambient music) - We are here at the University of Detroit Mercy in the STAR Center, which is a new simulator program.

Tell me about it, how did it get started?

- We started construction of the STAR Center in 2021, 22, and it opened officially last June, June of '23.

The STAR Center, which is really Simulation Technology and Research Center, really grew from some of our early simulation that we had done in the McAuley School of Nursing.

In 2010, we opened our first simulation center, which was really two small rooms, about 1200 square feet.

We visioned a center that was larger, that would be able to accommodate all of our programs, physician assistant, nurse anesthesia.

- What it represents for our students, as Dean Baiardi alluded to, is their ability to practice some of these real key skills before they get to have that sort of one-on-one in the hospital with patients in real time.

It's an opportunity for students to really engage in communication and feel comfortable and safe with the skills that they're learning.

- When I learned how to integrate that clinical information based on the learner level of knowledge, my whole world opened up for me as well as for the students because now I understood the importance of tailoring certain experiences to the learner levels experience.

- Since I'm in fundamentals, we were fixing the patient's room up, make sure the patient was comfortable, checking the patient's vital signs and things like that.

So I think it was very helpful for when I was actually going back to clinical and having to retake vital signs.

It was actually easier for me to take the vital signs and being able to make sure my patient is comfortable in their room and everything.

- As long as the students are meeting the learning objectives, as long as the students are able to collaborate and communicate and foster relationships, the learning can still take place.

And just making sure everyone have the resources that they need, making sure that the technology is together, the equipment together, and most important, making sure that we are building in the curriculum that is what is needed for our community.

- What makes this program or this space unique compared to the previous one that was on campus or others that you've seen?

- So we developed and designed the center to really mimic a hospital unit.

We have the rooms designed with real oxygen, real compression, so that you can actually, truly suction someone or simulate that kind of experience, as well as really ensuring that we had a high tech trauma area so that students could have experience in a simulated operating room or an emergency room.

- The mannequin for sure is more high tech.

It seems like a real person.

It does a lot more than the other mannequin did.

The technology that is available to us now, that's very helpful.

Having the patient's chart accessible to us.

We can read the notes, we can see their medications, we can see prior assessments.

And that's very helpful in going about planning your care for the patient that you're dealing with.

And I also feel like the broadcasting to the other students in the room, being able to watch what our peers did prior to be able to know where we have to take off from there.

- University of Detroit Mercy is one of the top ranked colleges for nursing in the state of Michigan.

So how are you combating the stereotypes or the impressions that people have received from the pandemic?

How are you combating those things with your students and keeping them engaged and wanting to be a part of the nursing field?

- It has been a challenge.

We've had to do some new things in terms of how we interact with our students.

One of the things that we've really focused on is our student success and engagement.

And so we have a dedicated office to that.

- As long as I have contributed to a confident graduate nurse, that's my job.

I feel like my job is done.

And I would be proud of them either way, whatever they decided to do when they entered the workforce.

I give them the tools to make the right decisions for themselves and for each other.

- With simulation, the end result is to improve patient outcomes.

That's what this is all about.

It's about improving our community, and simulation is just a tool to get us there.

And having that sense of self is the best thing I think the students can gain from this.

- I do feel supported by the clinical instructor, our professors.

They're always open to us if we have any issues or anything we wanna address to just take it up with them.

So there is definitely a strong support for the students here.

- We also learn how to be an actual good nurse aside of like doing the IVs and the standard patient care.

We learned how to actually care for our patient and learn what our patient needs and being able to kind of just have sympathy for everyone.

- I can see the STAR Center being a benchmark program for all other programs to pattern their day-to-day operations behind us, because we are reflecting what's happening in the community and what the needs of patients are in the community.

- I feel like with technology and just applying the real life aspects to it helps it become even more effective.

(machine beeping) - [Student] What's her heart rate?

105?

- [Student 2] And her blood pressure is off.