About the Pediatric Simulation Center
The Pediatric Simulation Center at Children's of Alabama was established in 2007 to offer health care professionals and students the chance to practice routine medical procedures and handle rare, complex conditions and life-threatening emergencies. Over time, the center’s reach has expanded to include opportunities for caregivers, community-based health care professionals, community outreach programs for community-based health care teams, and initiatives aimed at honoring the unique backgrounds, experiences, and needs of every learner and patient.
With the help of our supporters, the Center continues to grow and has 16 simulators ranging in age from premature infant to teenager. Yearly we welcome more than 6,000 visitors and conduct more than 900 simulation.
Our Mission: The mission of the Center is to incorporate simulation across Children's of Alabama and its outreach centers within a structured learning environment, aiming to foster excellence in clinical care, patient safety, and education for all pediatric healthcare professionals, care teams, and patients' families, honoring the unique backgrounds, experiences, and needs of every learner and patient.
Our Vision: Our team is dedicated to upholding our vision of a multidisciplinary center of excellence that provides high-fidelity simulation experiences to advance education, research, and the delivery of safe, innovative healthcare for children.
We hold a basic assumption for every learner that visits our center:
Everyone participating in activities at the Children’s of Alabama Pediatric Simulation Center is intelligent, well-trained, and dedicated to improve their care for children.
By The Numbers: Simulation Center Stats and Highlights
The Pediatric Simulation Center has:
- 16 high fidelity simulators ranging in age from premature infant to adult including 2 simulators dedicated to our community outreach simulation program
- 25+ skills trainers: 3 CPR mannequins, 4 CVL torsos and necks, two premature baby task trainers, 9 airway trainers, 3 UVC trainers, 3 IV arms, 2 IV pads, and 1 tracheostomy baby, 3 infant LP trainers, 2 child LP trainers
- 11 faculty and staff members - 4 physicians, 5 nurse educators, 1 research director, and 1 office associate
- 38 adjunct faculty
Since opening in 2007, the Pediatric Simulation Center has conducted simulation for over 96,000 learners. Examples of simulation sessions include:
- Mock Codes – 20 sessions per year including a mock code in every inpatient care area per year and any new units as well as unique places (dialysis, PT, cafeteria, etc)
- PALS sessions – 8 sessions per year
- NRP sessions – 6+ sessions per year
- Weekly 3rd year Medical Student, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Intern, PICU resident simulations
- Monthly sessions for pediatric residents on rotations such as: cardiology, newborn nursery, neonatology, endocrinology, developmental & behavioral pediatrics, complex care, adolescent medicine, rheumatology, allergy, etc.
- Simulation for families of all children going home with a tracheostomy and a ventilator
- Regular trauma simulations in the Emergency Department
- New nurse simulations course
- First five minutes of a code training
Our team is actively involved with local, national and international simulation research and societies. We have team members on the board of directors of the International Pediatric Society of Pediatric Simulation (IPSS) and national leaders with the International Network for Simulation-Based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE). We have numerous ongoing research studies and have presented at over:
- 25 national and local podium presentations
- 41 research posters at national and international conferences
