The COPIC Medical Foundation of Denver has made a $75,000 gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the Simulation in Motion-Nebraska (SIM-NE) program that was successfully launched this year by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and various partners.
The SIM-NE program brings critical training directly to rural emergency medical service (EMS) providers and health care providers at critical access hospitals in the communities they work. The program makes use of four, 44-foot-long custom simulation vehicles that are outfitted with realistic equipment and high-fidelity patient simulators.
The vehicles can simulate real-life emergency rooms and ambulances and are equipped with mannequins that simulate human patients by speaking, breathing, reacting to treatment and more. They are currently based in Norfolk, Lincoln, Kearney and Scottsbluff and travel the state to provide emergency medical training at no charge.
“Seeing the responses of the EMS providers, nurses, and allied health personnel as they receive training using the latest state-of-the-art equipment to simulate rare but very serious medical conditions is a tremendous reward,” said Brian Monaghan, SIM-NE project director. “The gift from COPIC Medical Foundation helps to ensure we’re able to continue to improve the program and provide training to even more people.”
SIM-NE is made possible through a partnership of educational institutions, academic departments representing a number of disciplines, charitable organizations, and public agencies that are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Nebraskans. With the equipment, technology and skilled training used by SIM-NE, the university is helping to better prepare medical professionals in rural areas and critical access hospitals.
“It’s very gratifying that the knowledge and skills gained during these training sessions will improve the care of our neighbors and friends who may need assistance in an emergency situation,” said Paul Paulman, M.D., professor of family medicine and the project’s primary investigator. “We’re pleased that COPIC Medical Foundation truly understands the importance of education in saving lives.”
A leadership grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust provided initial resources to the university to start the SIM-NE program and to purchase its first simulation-enabled vehicles while providing a three-year, step-down plan of program support.
Monaghan said continued private support and partnerships, such as that with COPIC Medical Foundation, is critical to keep the program going and to reach the communities where it’s needed most.
Rural emergency medical service agencies and rural critical access hospitals can request training at unmc.edu/SIM-NE. For more information, contact Monaghan at sim-ne@unmc.edu or 402-559-4863.
About COPIC Medical Foundation
For over 25 years, COPIC Medical Foundation has provided grants of more than $7 million to programs and organizations that improve health care outcomes, patient safety and quality of care. Its ongoing commitment is to support the ideas and people that are making a difference in enhancing medicine, lives and communities. The foundation is the philanthropic branch of COPIC and its family of insurance and financial service companies.
About the University of Nebraska Foundation
The University of Nebraska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that raises private gifts to support the University of Nebraska. During the 2016-2017 fiscal year, donors provided the university with $169.2 million for scholarships, faculty, academic programs, medical and other research, patient care, facilities and more. More than 99 percent of gifts are designated by donors for specific purposes. Our Students, Our Future is the foundation’s current fundraising initiative to secure broad support for students.
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.