Nearly three weeks ago, President Trump announced his intention to declare the national opioid crisis a “national emergency.” And for good reason; as we discussed in our previous blog post, opioid overdose deaths continue to skyrocket across the country. Claiming more lives than guns and car accidents, drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. Alarmingly, in 2015, nearly 1 in 50 deaths were drug-related—and primarily due to opioids.

An increasing demand for Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians has left the nation in a major employment shortage. This increasing demand has led to thousands of job openings and a limited number of recently graduated students to fill them. An astonishing 15% increase in jobs is expected over the next 7 years, according to the Bureau Of Labor & Statistics, and by 2026 there will be an estimated 37,000 more jobs for EMTs and Paramedics than there were in 2016.

Healthcare education initially started with life-like simulation and transformed in the late 1960’s to synthetic model simulation. Though patient simulations were very realistic, they were not the most efficient and effective ways to test students. Life-like simulation was a risk, more expensive, less flexible, and not worthwhile for teaching institutions. Once manikins and models were introduced to the world of simulation, students were able to practice certain skills and techniques as frequently as they needed in order to correct mistakes and did not run the risk of putting their simulated patients in danger.

The new MIND Diet developed by Rush University Medical Center researchers appears to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease by 53 percent in those that followed the diet rigorously, and by 35 percent in those who followed it moderately.

Years ago, patients who required advanced medical therapies like feeding tubes, IV infusions, and mechanical ventilation were cared for in the hospital or a long term care facility. Today, these patients can stay at home with the support of an interdisciplinary home care team. Not only is their care cost effective, but they enjoy a higher quality of life than their hospitalized peers. The demand for home health care services has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic as inpatient hospital beds have become scarce. Of course, there is a corresponding need for home care clinicians who can provide the advanced care that these patients require. As a result, training programs are adding home care rooms to their sim labs to help students practice outside acute care settings. Continue reading to learn more about why this is important and how to create a home care sim lab of your own.

World Hepatitis Day is recognized every July 28th to remember Dr. Baruch Blumberg (1925–2011), who discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed the first hepatitis B vaccine. This is the perfect time to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, which impacts more than 354 million people worldwide. It is also an opportunity to examine how healthcare providers are at risk of developing hepatitis after a needlestick injury. Continue reading to learn more about hepatitis infection and how safer needle devices can help prevent spread of the disease.

Summertime is here and students are enjoying a break from their studies. Summer is also the ideal time for sim lab coordinators to get their medical equipment ready for the next school year. The common misconception is that maintenance is only required when the issue strikes, but this run-to-fail strategy can present safety risks and increase long-term costs. Preventative maintenance is one of the most important tasks that facilitators should consider, as it keeps equipment safe and ready to use for students and instructors throughout the upcoming school year. There are eight examples of medical equipment that require professional preventative maintenance measures before a years long worth of use, most of which are already in simulation labs.

Celebrating Juneteenth by recognizing Black American Medical Pioneers

Pride Month is a time to celebrate diversity, promote dignity and equal rights, and increase visibility for the LGBTQ community. That being said, it's important to openly discuss that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) have importantly unique health needs that must be recognized and addressed by their healthcare providers. Culturally competent care is the key to overcoming LGBTQ health disparities and improving health outcomes for this population. Continue reading to learn more about health risks that are common to the LGBTQ community and how training programs are increasing awareness for providers.

Check your AED: Is it FDA approved?

Check out our latest video featuring the SimLabSolutions Loaded Postpartum Hemorrhage Cart! This product is the ideal solution for training learners about this maternal emergency. The drawers are loaded with all of the supplies and simulated medication recommended for management of postpartum hemorrhage. The pre-loaded cart allows you to have everything you need on hand and ready to use.

Food allergies have increased steadily over recent years, currently approximately 7% of children in the U.S. Approximately 40% of these children have multiple allergies, and they are at higher risk for allergic reactions and anaphylaxis when they are at camp (1,2,3). This is because they have more opportunities to try different foods than at home or school, and the risk of cross-contamination is higher. In addition, campers may experience bug bites, pet dander, insect stings, snake bites, and other allergens. This blog will describe how camps must prepare to deal with anaphylactic reactions that can arise from food and environmental allergies.

Continuing education for healthcare professionals is often done online because it is convenient for both instructors and staff members. However, psychomotor competencies are best assessed through hands-on demonstrations. This article will describe how clinical educators can use skills trainers to develop annual competencies for nurses and respiratory therapists in healthcare facilities.

Simulation training is a learner-centered approach that provides an engaging alternative to the traditional classroom model. However, integrating simulation into an existing healthcare training can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned educators. DiaMedical USA has partnered with Hudson Simulation to help improve the quality of healthcare by providing innovative tools like the SimVS Virtual Diagnostic Platform to educate the next generation of medical professionals. In addition, the SimVS Virtual Diagnostic Platform allows all types of healthcare training programs to increase their simulation capacity without breaking their budgets. Continue reading to learn more about the SimVS system and why instructors love using it with their students.

World Immunization Week is celebrated annually during the last week of April to promote the use of vaccines and protect people of all ages from disease. Vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to safely create immunity to pneumonia, meningitis, measles, and many other diseases. Getting vaccinated isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s especially hard on children who are afraid of needles. Keep reading below for some simple tips to make immunizations easier for them.

Maintaining a neutral thermal environment is one of the most important challenges that newborns face after delivery. Clinicians can greatly reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality by minimizing heat loss during the first few hours of life. This blog will explore how the warm chain can be used to protect newborns from the dangers of hypothermia.

Healthcare training programs expect manufacturer warranties to be included when they purchase medical equipment, even though extended warranties and preventative maintenance plans are not. These two options are often confused and many people wonder if they are worth the money. In this blog, we will explore what separates warranties from maintenance and how to keep important medical equipment in good working order.

Even though pressure injuries are most common in adult care units, there is an emerging awareness that acutely ill and immobilized children are also at risk. With relevant knowledge, however, clinicians can help prevent skin breakdown in pediatric settings. This article will describe risk factors for pediatric pressure ulcers and how therapeutic support surfaces can help prevent the development of decubitus ulcers in children.