UNMC’s Simulation in Motion Nebraska Program Provide Free Training at Health Center

By: Boone County Health Center

Boone County Health Center (BCHC) staff worked with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Simulation in Motion Nebraska program (SIM-NE) last week.  

The free training was conducted in a 44-foot-long, customized truck that provides a mobile, real-life experience designed to enhance life-saving skills for those in rural areas.  

The trucks were launched in 2017 and are stationed in Scottsbluff, Norfolk, Kearney and Lincoln. Rather than having learners travel to larger cities for training, the training is taken to rural emergency medical service agencies and critical access hospitals. This also allows training to be team-based as learners train side-by-side with the people they normally work with.  

The customized trucks feature dual slide-out room extensions, a simulated emergency room and ambulance, a control room, as well as high-tech, computerized patient simulators that talk, breathe, have heartbeats, and can react to medications and other actions of the learners.  

Each mobile unit is equipped to recreate a realistic environment for learners including medical supplies, pre-programmed computerized medical and trauma scenarios; monitors that display vital signs of patient simulators; heart monitors/defibrillators; audio and video recording/playback capabilities and mock drugs.  

SIM-NE was initially funded with a $5.5 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The funding supported four SIM trucks, equipment, patient simulators, supplies and operational expenses for the first three years allowing training to be at no cost for EMS providers. Partners and funders are being sought to sustain the training program.  

Rural emergency medical service agencies and critical access hospitals can request training at www.unmc.edu/SIM-NE. For more information, email sim-ne@unmc.edu or call (402) 559-4863.