SWS Clinical Skills and Simulation

The simulated operating theatres each have an anaesthetic bay and scrub bay. A variety of learning environments can be created within this space. Perioperative team training ranging from simple case preparation and delivery through to complex team interactions with Crises Resource Management can be delivered. Equipment available in the simulated theatres includes a fully functioning operating table, anaesthetic machine and anaesthetic cart, overhead, state-of-the-art theatre lighting and actual theatre attire as well as simulated diathermy and functioning suction. Moulage and make-up techniques can be used to increase the fidelity of the simulations for learners, creating a fully immersive operating theatre and anaesthetic experience.

The simulation labs can be easily converted into a resuscitation bay to facilitate the delivery of emergency and trauma-based immersive team scenarios. An extensive range of medical consumables used in emergency and trauma care is available for use during scenarios to enhance learner experience. Equipment available includes basic and advanced airway management, ventilation, intravenous and intraosseous access devices and full manual defibrillation including cardiac pacing. The integration of multimedia files within scenarios, replication of in hospital communication processes to reflect realistic timeframes and an extensive range of moulage techniques are also available when needed.

The centre has eight replica outpatient consultation rooms located together in the consult hub. Each of these rooms has a desk, computer, patient bed, sink and patient equipment trolley. Unique to these spaces is the ability to observe and listen to the learners during scenarios in order to give them feedback on performance. These rooms can also be used for small group work and skill stations as well as being a suitable venue for OSCEs and other exams. They are ideal for one-on-one patient assessment and communications training.

The skills laboratories are purpose-built to facilitate the teaching of procedural skills on part task trainers and animal tissue. Skills such as intravenous cannulation, suturing and plastering can be taught using combinations of didactic presentations and practical hands sessions in order to perfect the performance of the learner prior to performing on patients. The skills labs also have a large scrub sink for hand hygiene and sterile scrub, gown and gloving training, and are excellent for teaching aseptic technique skills as well as basic life support. Audiovisual equipment in these labs includes large-screen televisions used with laptop computers for content delivery either by slides or video/DVD, internet access, high-definition cameras and capacity to livestream to the centre debrief rooms.

The centre has two classroom-style debrief rooms available for use either in conjunction with the simulation/skills labs or in isolation. These rooms can be configured to meet the teaching needs of your program and include integrated audiovisual capability with ceiling-mounted LCD projectors, wall-mounted room control and ceiling speakers, and the ability to connect either the centre’s or your own laptop via VGA, USB or HDMI. High-definition video and audio from the simulation spaces can be livestreamed to groups of learners observing a simulation scenario in action. Room configurations include chairs, tables and unique mobile chairs with desks attached that allow small group work as well as large classroom capacity. Room capacity ranges from small groups up to approximately 60 people.

Theatre 6 – Liverpool Hospital

This theatre has incorporated the latest in videoconference technology in order to broadcast surgery. This theatre incorporates a high-quality Berchtold camera into the lighting system which focuses on the surgical field. Along with additional cameras in the room, this means Theatre 6 can broadcast interesting cases along with teaching students and staff about theatre operations and etiquette. With the consents of the patient, the camera systems can be controlled by the surgeon during the operation. This system also includes the option of a live feed to the nearby Theatres Training Room. This provides an option for students and staff to watch an operation of interest without the need to be in the room. In addition, the inclusion of videoconference in the room enables the surgeon to broadcast the room to sites anywhere on the world. Uses include live surgical cases to conferences either on site at Liverpool Hospital or anywhere on the public internet. 

Cardiac catheter and echo laboratories – Liverpool Hospital

UNSW has also resourced the expansion of videoconference to the echo and cardiac catheter laboratories at Liverpool Hospital. A mobile videoconference unit with capacity to broadcast both a camera and an imaging input mean these images can be shared either locally or anywhere in the world on the public internet. Such facilities have already been used for postgraduate training courses in echocardiogram. Such facilities provide greater access to students and staff to training than would be possible in the physical space.

Future enhancements

With the establishment of mobile videoconferencing, the options for broadcast of procedures from other facilities such as radiology or endoscopy become an option. As new uses and resources to establish the network in these locations become available, they will be explored. If you would like to discuss options for expanding these teaching facilities to your service, please contact Craig Smith.

LCD projectors and laptops are located in all of the centre’s debrief rooms and come as standard for each booking. The skills labs and the simulation labs all have large-screen TVs that can be used for presentations and video. Laptops are available within the centre for use with these. Videoconference and teleconference facilities are available on enquiry. Internet access is available with prior arrangement. We are able to livestream video and audio from the simulation spaces to one or many of the debrief rooms simultaneously. 

UNSW Australia owns a number of mannequins in a variety of fidelities for use by undergraduates, postgraduates and in vocational training. These include the latest in SimMan 3G technology along with lower-fidelity mannequins such as MegaCode Kelly and specific mannequins for training skills such as basic life support. The Ingham Institute Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre incorporates a range of audiovisual elements aimed at enabling training groups to gain the most from this equipment.

SimMan 3G 

This adult patient simulator is designed to deliver the most realistic training possible while remaining easy to set up and simple to operate. SimMan 3G comes with a long list of features that will optimise simulation training scenarios including automatic drug recognition, light sensitive pupils, bodily fluid excretion and wifi portability. Wireless technology makes SimMan 3G flexible and mobile, so that it is possible to conduct training for the entire rescue chain and allow team training which includes patient handover and emergency reporting.

MegaCode Kelly SimPad 

A full-body mannequin designed for the practice of advanced, difficult and obstructed airway scenarios and IV therapy, MegaCode Kelly with SimPad allows cardiac defibrillation, pacing and ECG interpretation of over 1400 rhythm variations. Integrate pre-programmed simulation content designed to provide students with realistic scenario-based clinical training focusing on specific learning objectives geared toward patient assessment, patient diagnosis, interventions and management of care to improve to student’s critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Resusci Anne Simulator  

Based on the learning objectives and curriculum of various emergency medical personnel, this full-bodied simulator is the perfect training companion for hospitals, emergency medicine and military personnel, as well as educational centres. The Resusci Anne Simulator provides the key simulation functionalities including a high-quality airway, spontaneous breathing, ECG, live defibrillation, IV, blood pressure, voice, lung sounds and heart sounds for basic simulation training.

Ambu Airway SmartMan  

This unit has an operating trachea and oesophagus plus a working chest cavity with lung and a complete torso. The Ambu Airway SmartMan expands the range of learning skills available with real-time visual feedback.

SimNewb 

Designed by Laerdal with the American Academy of Pediatrics to meet the training requirements of neonatal emergency medicine and resuscitation courses, SimNewB has realistic newborn traits and lifelike clinical feedback. It is ideal for training for the specific needs of neonates.  

Tuff Kelly 

The full-body mannequin with realistic weight for extrication and rescue training.

I-Simulate Platform  

The ALSi Patient Simulation platform is a hyper-flexible simulator that enables advanced patient simulations to be run quickly and easily. Students view a realistic patient monitor while the instructor uses a handheld control pad to control everything from parameters to time.

The anatomage table is the most technologically advanced anatomy visualisation system for anatomy education and is being adopted by many of the world's leading medical schools and institutions including UNSW Sydney. The operating table form factor combined with Anatomage’s radiology software and clinical content makes the table an excellent resource for the UNSW Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre.

The South West Sydney Clinical Campuses has invested more than $3.7m in the renovation of existing teaching space across the south-western Sydney campuses and installed uniwide and a videoconference network across these sites to ensure easy access to teaching material by our students. There are more than 18 sites from which south-western Sydney-based students, academics and researchers can access the network and dial anywhere in the world that has a public address. In the Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre, videoconferencing to other sites is available in most venues using the high quality cameras and audio equipment in the room. Dedicated videoconferencing is available in each of the four Debrief and Seminar rooms with one room able to access this facility at any one time.

The South West Sydney Clinical Campuses have been responsible for the purchase of all the current task trainer and low fidelity mannequin equipment in the Ingham Institute Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre. The Centre has a broad range of trainers which can either be used on site, or in some cases loaned to users off site in south-western Sydney.

For more information on these resources or other models that may exist, please contact swscssc@unsw.edu.au. 

• Airway trainers – Laerdal and Ambu

• Nasogastric tube insertion and tracheostomy tube trainers 

• Male and female urinary catheterisation models

• Intravenous cannulation arms

• Arterial puncture trainer

• PR and PV examination models 

• Joint injection trainers

• Eye examination trainers

• Auroscopy trainers

• Intraosseous cannulation trainers 

• Nita newborn IV access model

• Basic life support CPR models

• AED trainers

• Intercostal catheter insertion model 

• IM and SC injection trainers

• Sophie birthing model

• Instrumental delivery model

• Obstetric palpation model