The simulation hub will be available for students in multiple Mohawk College School of Health programs. Photo Credit: Mohawk College News/X.
Mohawk College recently unveiled that they have expanded their healthcare simulation hub which they say will increase their program capacity and improve the student experience.
Mohawk College’s Centre for Healthcare Simulation and Research (CHSR) is located at the college’s Institute for Applied Health Sciences at the McMaster University campus on Main Street West.
The centre is equipped with lifelike electronic mannequins with the goal of replicating real-world healthcare scenarios.
The CHSR includes six simulation suites with advanced mannequins, two Activities of Daily Living apartments designed to simulate real-life care settings, and two Virtual Reality and Simulation FlexRooms which offer mixed-reality learning.
There is also video and audio capture in all spaces and debriefing facilities.
Video and audio recordings are then used for in-depth analysis and student reflection.
The college says that simulation scenarios can also be customized based on the learners’ needs.
A press release from Mohawk College says that the centre “will improve students’ experience in simulation training, allow for new teaching methods, and support research in the use of simulation tools in healthcare education.”
Mohawk College President Paul Armstrong explained, “Opening the new Centre for Healthcare Simulation signals a new chapter of growth and innovation for healthcare education at Mohawk College.”
“More students will have access to a safe, controlled environment to experience real-world medical scenarios and develop important skills to equip them for the demands of a rapidly evolving healthcare sector.”
The CHSR is available for students in multiple Mohawk College School of Health programs including nursing, medical imaging, pharmacy technician, cardiovascular technology, personal support worker, and occupational therapy assistant/physiotherapy assistant.
“We are excited to open this renovated and expanded space to allow healthcare students to experience a wide range of clinical scenarios that may not be readily available in local healthcare settings,” says Wendy Lawson, Associate VP Academic at Mohawk and Dean of the School of Health.
“Learners can develop confidence and competence in managing challenging healthcare conditions before encountering them in the field. This experience is a huge benefit for preparing future healthcare professionals,” she continued.
The facility will also function as a hub for healthcare professionals and researchers across the entire region, including those from McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
In that capacity, the CHSR will reportedly serve “as an incubator for the testing and validation of new medical equipment.”
The college says that the new features at the CHSR will also complement their activities at the recently opened Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging (CIAMI).
The CIAMI was opened in August 2023 at the Mohawk McMaster Institute for Applied Health Sciences building and is used for educational training and imaging research.
The CIAMI also operates an MRI unit for clinical use and is working on testing a new approach to scans that could double the speed of service, thereby reducing wait times.
With both of these centres, Mohawk College officials say that they are seeking to “drive innovation in healthcare education, research, and technology development.”
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