MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College (BBCC) is hosting a grand opening April 7 for its new medical simulation lab that will provide lifelike training for health care students and professionals.

The lab uses manikins enhanced with technology that can create lifelike scenarios for training purposes. It is a step toward the college’s plan to offer the first Medical Simulation Technician program in Washington’s community and technical college system, according to BBCC President Terry Leas.

Doug Sly, BBCC’s director of public information, said Big Bend applied for and received approval for the new program from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). However, the college still needs approval from the accrediting agency to launch the program, since the new program would qualify as a “substantive change.” If Big Bend receives approval from the accrediting agency, it will then be able to begin offering the program to students, Sly said.

The development of the new program and the renovation of the medical simulation lab is funded by a $3.2 million federal grant, according to a release from the college. Big Bend plans to purchase two more simulator manikins, in addition to the one it already has, priced at nearly $100,000 each to support the new program using funds from the grant.

The new medical simulation lab is already being used by students in BBCC’s nursing program, and once the Medical Simulation Technician program becomes available, those students will use the lab as well.

Title V Medical Simulation Coordinator Andrea Elliott explained how the technology in human simulators is favorable for training purposes.

“Human medical simulators bleed, have pulse points, have a heartbeat, have seizures, overdose, have allergic reactions to medication, and they are fun,” Elliott said.

The ability to use simulators for nursing students is extremely advantageous. Using simulator manikins, health care students and professionals can learn skills through repetition and improve skills by increasing the complexity of medical situations without the risk associated with live subjects. Elliott said simulators bridge the gap between theory and clinical experience.

According to a release from Big Bend, research backs the method. The release indicates nursing research shows that providing the ability to experience low-frequency conditions in a controlled environment via simulation has the potential to supplement up to half of clinical education.

But with all that technology, somebody has to know how to operate, fix and alter the simulators to provide the right scenarios. Medical simulation technician students in Big Bend’s new program will learn to design, implement and troubleshoot simulators to provide support for the education of health care professionals. Students who enter the program when it becomes available will have opportunities to pursue computer science, health care and STEM fields.

Once the program completes the approval process, Big Bend will offer a medical simulation associate degree in applied science. That transfer degree will prepare students for industrial certification or entry-level employment in simulation labs.

The college formed a Medical Simulation Advisory committee to guide the program’s development. Professionals in engineering, health care, computer science and first response are involved on the committee, which has been working for about a year and a half. The committee’s work has included monitoring the renovation of the simulation lab and developing curriculum for the simulation technician program to ensure it will meet industry standards.

Many large hospitals use simulation training to prepare practitioners in more than 30 health care fields, from anesthesiology to urology, according to Big Bend’s release. Simulations can be tailored to target the training goals for a given medical field, which creates demand for simulation technicians and programmers.

Simulation training at Big Bend will be offered to more than program students, though — training will also be available to first responders, law enforcement, local health care professionals, and educators, according to Elliott.

“There is a shortage of simulation technicians at large hospitals,” Elliott said. “There is huge interest in and support for our program from education, health care, law enforcement and emergency response officials.”

To get feedback for the development of the new program, officials from Big Bend and Samaritan Healthcare visited simulation labs at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle University at Swedish Cherry Hill Medical Center, and the Northwest Hospital and Medical Center, according to the college’s announcement.

Big Bend’s new simulation lab is situated in the Health Education Building (1700), where the ribbon cutting will take place at 12:45 p.m. April 7. The space was used as classroom space before the renovation last fall.

Ryan Minnerly can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.