Health-care education at RRC Polytech enters a new chapter today with the opening of its new Interdisciplinary Health and Community Services Simulation Centre. This facility, the first of its kind in Manitoba, will begin training the province’s future health leaders in January.

The Simulation Centre is a groundbreaking interdisciplinary facility that will revolutionize health-care training in Manitoba. It’s the first centre in Manitoba to focus on nursing, allied health professions and community services, with 16,630 square feet of state-of-the-art learning space at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus.

“The Simulation Centre will maximize education opportunities and provide immersive and collaborative training for our health and community care programs,” says Fred Meier, the College’s President and CEO. “As one of the largest trainers of health-care professionals in the province, this is an exciting new frontier in how we can better train and prepare students to be confident in their careers and make an impact in our communities throughout the province.

“Simulation is critical, as it ensures students in all programs have access to immediate experiential training opportunities vital to graduation, gaining experience that helps better prepare them for the clinical environment and being job ready on day one.”

Using state-of-the art, high-fidelity simulation equipment and live actors to create small- and large-scale activities and mock scenarios, the Simulation Centre will provide students from 13 programs with real-world experiences that mirror the realities they will face in the workplace. These training opportunities will equip them to fill vital and in-demand career roles in Manitoba’s health-care system from their first day on the job.

The Simulation Centre was made possible through ongoing support from the Province of Manitoba, who this year invested over $6 million in funding towards the development, along with ongoing operating support – providing a total investment of over $12.5 million.

“This state-of-the-art centre is an example of the high-quality training that is offered right here in Manitoba,” says Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training. “Bringing students together from different health disciplines allows our future health-care workers to get hands-on training that reflects the realities of their future workplaces.”

“Together with our partners at RRC Polytech, we’re ensuring that the future of health care in Manitoba is in good hands,” says Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. “Innovative learning opportunities guarantee that future generations of health-care workers are well-equipped to offer top-quality care to Manitobans. I look forward to seeing how the Centre improves students’ education and how, as a result, Manitoba continues to be a top choice for folks wanting to study and work in health care.”

Designed with the future of health-care professions in mind, the Simulation Centre will continue to evolve alongside emerging technological and social innovations, as well as RRC Polytech’s commitments to reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion. The Simulation Centre was designed with Indigenous teaching and practices woven throughout. Each of the debriefing rooms are named after Indigenous healing plants, which are integrated through the Centre. The space also has an Elder’s Room and includes spaces for smudging and ceremonies.

The space was created to accommodate growth in these programs. It has the capacity to train up to 12,000 students each academic year, and up to six simulations can be run at a time in the various simulation spaces. The Simulation Centre is designed to replicate real hospital environments, including multi-patient rooms and an adaptable apartment space that supports a wide range of interdisciplinary scenarios.

The facility also includes a triage station for training health unit clerks, as well as an exam room designed to mimic a health-care practitioner’s space. Several flexible spaces with movable walls can be reconfigured to accommodate large group gatherings or simulations that require non-hospital settings.

Streaming and recording capabilities within the Simulation Centre will allow regional campuses to observe live simulations that can also be viewed in the large lecture theatre adjacent to the space. This will allow a larger audience to engage with and participate in the simulation experience.

Students will train with standardized participant actors to fill the role of patients. The Simulation Centre is also equipped with a diverse range of advanced mannequins, spanning from infant to older adult, to effectively simulate various stages of life.

The Simulation Centre will support new and existing students and provide opportunities for those currently in the workforce to upgrade their skills. A dedicated simulation educator will be available to support industry partners who wish to use the Centre. This educator will assist in developing simulations that align with learning objectives, provide exceptional student experience and uphold the highest standards in simulation.