University of Nebraska Regent Timothy Clare visited UNMC’s Omaha campus last week, accompanying State Sen. Bill Kintner on a tour.
The visit included discussions with Ken Bayles, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for basic science research, and Steve Hinrichs, M.D., chair of pathology/microbiology, on UNMC’s research efforts, as well as a tour of the new clinical skills simulation lab led by Patti Carstens, program manager.
Clare, the 2013 chairman of the Board of Regents, has been to UNMC before — the Lincoln attorney toured UNMC when he was first elected to the board in 2008 and has returned to UNMC multiple times since then — but said he learns something new every time he comes back.
“I enjoyed getting the opportunity to show Sen. Kintner what we’re doing here for the health care of Nebraska,” Clare said. “We’re doing some amazing things that benefit the entire state, in addition to the entire country.”
In the simulation lab, Clare saw a demonstration of one of UNMC’s state-of-the-art simulated patients, which breathed, moaned and blinked its eyes. Carstens explained how procedures practiced on these simulated patients have resulted in health care professionals performing lifesaving techniques in real-life crisis situations.
Clare said the simulation lab was an impressive hands-on training tool.
“It has obviously helped in a number of different capacities in terms of instruction and teaching,” Clare said.