History of the Interprofessional Simulation Center
Simulation-based education has been active in both Indiana University and IU Health Bloomington Hospital for over a decade. In 2020, the Indiana University-Bloomington Interprofessional Simulation Center (Program) was established with the creation of a new simulation program that combined the three contributing simulation programs representing the Program’s partner organizations (IU Health, IU School of Nursing, and IU School of Medicine). A joint memorandum of understanding (MOU) was created that serves as the governing charter for the Program and details the commitment from the three partner organizations to reinvent simulation-based education on the Bloomington campus.
Through a cooperative effort between IU Health and Indiana University, health professions education in Bloomington was reimagined with the construction of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC). The RAHC included the new IU Health Bloomington Hospital and the new Health Sciences Building (HSB) which co-located the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work and the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Under the leadership of former Simulation Coordinator Sally Gindling, the three legacy simulation programs were joined into a new facility in the HSB with a 12,000 square foot simulation center, a space that was much greater than the combined square footage of the legacy programs. Usable legacy equipment was transferred to the new facility and was augmented by the purchase of several new simulators and manikins. The HSB is adjacent (physically attached) to the IU Health Bloomington Hospital, making for a central location for simulation-based education for all healthcare providers, including prelicensure students and practicing professionals.
The Program’s website tracks the creation and development of the RAHC and the revised simulation program with a series of articles in the News section.
The new simulation center opened in May 2021, with the new IU Health Bloomington Hospital opening in December later that year.
In 2021, David Rodgers was recruited to lead the program as director and help the program meet the shared goals of the partner organizations, and Matthew Needler took on the role of Simulation Coordinator.
The Indiana University-Bloomington Interprofessional Simulation Center has built upon its legacy programs to create a new vision for simulation in South-Central Indiana. The program is rapidly increasing in volume and scope, bringing new education opportunities to learners of all levels, and contributing to improvements in practice.