Notre Dame College Dedicates Parker-Hannifin Nursing Lab

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio—11 September 2007—Notre Dame College (NDC) dedicates its new Nursing Performance Enhancement Lab, named in Parker-Hannifin’s honor, Wednesday, September 19 at 4:00 p.m. The College received a $150,000 grant from the Parker-Hannifin Foundation to help support its new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Medical studies have emphasized the need to reduce medical errors and improve and maintain patient safety. One recommendation is the incorporation of proven methods of training, such as simulation, into education training curricula.

The Parker-Hannifin Nursing Performance Enhancement Lab simulates an actual hospital setting to give students a greater degree of confidence and skill as they transfer their knowledge to clinical settings. Key components of the lab are Vital Sim manikins, used in clinical simulations to replicate specific medical scenarios such as emergency situations, which can be highly stressful for practicing nurses. The lab is outfitted with six hospital beds and other equipment, patient privacy curtains, computer stations for charting, medication carts, and emergency equipment for codes.

According to Dr. Diane Jedlicka, chair of Notre Dame College’s Nursing Division, “Simulation labs promote patient safety by reducing errors. The simulations will help to prepare the students for their clinical experiences, providing them opportunities to manage complex patient situations and giving hands-on practice in advance.  Students will learn specific skills such as listening to heart and breath sounds, with the manikins programmed to provide typical patient responses for specific illnesses.  The lab will provide a safe, structured environment for students to develop the competencies they will need in practice.”

Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For additional information about Notre Dame College’s nursing program or Nursing Performance Enhancement Lab, contact Dr. Diane Jedlicka at 216.373.5182 or djedlicka@ndc.edu.