The Challenge

Today’s complex healthcare environment demands that nurses are able to make quick assessments and clinical decisions. With this in mind, the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College set out to develop an environment where students learn and refine their skills to increase self-efficacy prior to clinical experience.

The Customer

The former Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, established in 1902 and the former Barnes College of Nursing, established in 1955, merged and were renamed the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College in 2007. Since that time, it has been their vision to “be among the best in the nation.” The nursing program at Goldfarb has seen many recent changes. The school now proudly includes various baccalaureate and master’s degree concentrations and a PhD/DNP. It also has been named a Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence.

The Journey

Due to the college’s unrelenting standards and aspiration, it desired to create a facility where faculty and staff could establish excellence in the education of health professionals. They aspired to be a top tier nursing school.

The Discovery

After thoroughly researching new and innovative techniques and equipment in healthcare education, The Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College recognized what an invaluable resource simulation could be to their students. The administration realized they needed a company that could help them design labs that were both
efficient and realistic.

The Solution

The discovery led the college to take on one of its most ambitious projects to date, a 40 million dollar College of Nursing. The building itself houses state-of-the-art equipment and facilities which include six simulation labs that encompass over 10,500 square feet of learning space.

The Implementation

After construction was completed, Goldfarb’s administration went to work filling their labs with reliable equipment and simulators that would accomplish their goals for the facility. Beth Haas, Clinical Simulation Institute director, says, “After researching multiple companies in the health service sector, we decided on Laerdal due to the fact that we could buy a large quantity of high fidelity manikins at a reasonable price.” Haas said Laerdal representatives were open and available and became integral in the design and set up of the labs.

The Results

Haas is extremely excited about the use of simulation and the effects it will have on the future of their nurses. “The simulation labs have had a huge impact on our students because it allows them to make their mistakes in a safe, low-stakes environment. The labs allow students the opportunity to refine their skills prior to exposure to patients, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and quality of care.”