172 - Affordable Innovation: Conversion of a Classroom into an Operating Room Simulation Lab

Description: Our planning team consisted of 6 members:
-Director of Nursing Professional Development
-Simulation Learning Technician
-Surgical Technologist Education Program Coordinator
- 3 Clinical Educators for Perioperative Services
Increasing surgical case volumes and the addition of a hospital based surgical technology program prompted our team to consider the creation of a safe learning environment for teaching and conducting OR simulation. Space was limited in the hospital, so we turned to looking at the educational spaces in the building that houses our nursing professional development team. We discovered plenty of classroom space, and then brainstormed on how to convert the space into a functioning OR simulation lab without funding. The classroom space had plenty of room to replicate an OR and also room to create a classroom area. The team had to think outside of the box when it came furnishing the OR sim space. We identified the equipment and supplies needed and drafted a "wish list". Our director immediately began to search for any type of potential grant money that might be available to us. We reached out to the managers and biomedical engineers inquiring about end-of- life equipment that could be donated. We then learned that our hospital had a storage space for unused equipment and furniture. We procured a majority of the equipment needed from these two inquiries. Transportaion and the moving of these items was arranged via our hospital courier system and all equipment arrived safely to the simulation space. We are currently in the implementation phase and are planning the inaugural simulation. Our goal has remained the same throughout this process. To create a hands-on learning environment to bridge the gap between didactic learning and practical skills for surgical trainees.