Quality clinical training in new simulation centre
Western Australia’s Curtin University, in partnership with one of the state’s aged care providers, has unveiled a new simulated training facility to advance the education of future healthcare professionals and aged care staff, and improve client outcomes and care.
Vaughan Harding, Juniper chief executive, says working hard to meet community needs and having a skilled workforce is key to the aged care sector.
The Juniper Simulation Centre will annually provide more than 500 health sciences students with hands on experience using cutting edge technology and enhance Juniper’s ability to upskill its staff to meet future healthcare needs.
The new Centre is already in operation and replicates a typical home in the community or a residential aged care facility to provide a realistic training environment that incorporates a state of the art control room with audio/video recording and monitoring equipment.
It has been designed to promote interprofessional simulation based training for all health sciences and aged care disciplines using the latest technology and equipment.
Professor Deborah Terry, Curtin University vice chancellor, said Western Australia was experiencing a growing demand for healthcare services as a result of an ageing population and increased rates of chronic and preventable disease.
“To meet the healthcare needs of our community, we are training more students to become health professionals and one of the most efficient and effective ways to deliver increased levels of clinical training is through simulation education,” Professor Terry said.
“Simulation education is a cost effective and safe method of teaching and assessing students’ skills using scenarios replicating real life events.”
The Centre will complement existing clinical training techniques at Curtin’s Bentley Campus and boost the quality of clinical training opportunities for health sciences students.
Vaughan Harding, Juniper chief executive, said the long standing relationship with Curtin University has continued to deliver benefits to older Western Australians.
“As a forward thinking organisation, Juniper is working hard to meet community needs and having a skilled workforce is key to our – and the wider aged care sector’s – response,” Mr Harding said.
Located at Juniper Ron Wilson House, opposite Curtin University’s Bentley Campus, the Juniper Simulation Centre, was officially launched last Thursday. The project was made possible by funding received from Health Workforce Australia.
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