Agreement seeks to improve educational training programs for students and
professionals
HICKORY, NC – Sept. 10, 2013 – Catawba Valley Medical Center
has formed an operating partnership with Catawba Valley Community College
to bring management expertise to ValleySim Hospital, a simulated healthcare
facility for education and training.
“We see this as a chance to take ValleySim Hospital to the next level
and extend our partnership with Catawba Valley Community College,”
said Eddie Beard, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Operations Officer & Chief
Nursing Officer, Catawba Valley Medical Center. “The hope is that
the combined effort between these two institutions will lead to a new
educational model for current and future caregivers. Ultimately, this
facility will be the tool we use to raise the level of expertise for healthcare
professionals in our area and beyond.”
Under the three-year agreement, which went into effect in July, the Medical
Center provides management services, including the core staff necessary
for operation and promotion of the facility. With this new partnership,
both organizations seek to provide a better-prepared healthcare workforce,
in the immediate community, as well as across the state.
“This partnership was the next logical step for the advancement of
this unique, comprehensive simulated healthcare facility created by Catawba
Valley Community College,” said Dr. Garrett D. Hinshaw, President,
Catawba Valley Community College. “We firmly believe that the possibilities
are endless, and this innovative partnership brings those possibilities
to reality for the healthcare industry.”
Catawba Valley Medical Center has hired Ty Wright as director of ValleySim
Hospital. Wright brings a background in corporate training and community
college management to the position. April Williams, MSN, RN-BC, has transferred
from the Medical Center campus to assume the role of simulation specialist.
A simulation technician position will be filled in the coming months.
“I have found that hospitals traditionally hire fresh graduates who
still require a large amount of training on the job,” said Wright.
“Through this partnership, it is my hope that ValleySim will properly
prepare allied health students to start work the day they are hired.”
The operating agreement will open the ValleySim Hospital doors to use by
other colleges, hospitals, physician practices, public health departments,
county and public schools and many others. For a fee, these organizations
can use the facility as a training ground to teach new technologies, reinforce
current competencies, or practice techniques needed in rare medical scenarios,
all in a non-threatening, no-risk environment.
“This partnership gives us a lot of ways to improve our staff’s
capabilities through training,” said Adina Andreu, RN, M.S., CNM,
NEA-BC, Vice President – Administration, Catawba Valley Medical
Center. “Not only are there critical care training situations that
can be used, but endless opportunities are at our disposal, from safety
culture programs to reenactments of actual hospital situations. Rest assured,
ValleySim Hospital will now have a direct impact on improving the level
of care patients receive at Catawba Valley Medical Center and at other
participating health organizations.”
ValleySim Hospital is designed to provide students, the community and the
region with a realistic healthcare setting for education and research.
The largest simulated hospital of its kind on the East Coast, it is equipped
with a wide variety of low- and high-fidelity programmable manikins, along
with video and computer equipment, and a
da Vinci® Surgical System, which was donated by Catawba Valley Medical Center. ValleySim
Hospital simulates realistic healthcare experiences designed to meet the
clinical training needs of healthcare students and practicing professionals.
For more information on conducting training at the ValleySim Hospital,
please contact Ty Wright at (828) 327-7000 ext. 4072.
About Catawba Valley Community College
Catawba Valley Community College is an accredited comprehensive North Carolina
community college serving Catawba and Alexander counties. Through more
than 10 different allied health programs, the College prepares local healthcare
professionals, including nursing, respiratory therapy, dental hygiene,
surgical technology, radiography, emergency medical science and many others.
For complete information about CVCC’s School of Health and Public
Services, visit
http://www.cvcc.edu/Health_Services. Take a virtual tour of the ValleySim Hospital at
http://www.cvcc.edu/SimHospitalTour.
About Catawba Valley Medical Center
Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s
largest not-for-profit, public healthcare system and serves the community
without direct funding from taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to
serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventive
medicine and acute care. CVMC has received three Magnet designations from
the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized with
three Women’s Choice Awards, being named one of
America’s
Best 100 Hospitals for Patient Experience in 2012 and 2013, a
2013 Best Hospital for Patient Experience in Obstetrics andone of
America’s Best Hospitals in Orthopedics in 2013 by WomenCertified®. CVMC received the 2013 QUEST® Award for High-Value Healthcare from Premier, recognizing a reduction
in harm, mortality, readmissions and costs, while improving the patient
experience and delivering evidence-based care. For more information, please visit
http://www.catawbavalleymedical.org.