Aston University has inaugurated a new £1.5 million healthcare teaching facility, featuring advanced wards and an immersive simulation room. This state-of-the-art center, funded by the Office for Students, aims to provide nursing, physician associate, pharmacy, and medical students with realistic training environments. The facility includes two interconnected five-bed wards equipped with authentic hospital amenities and diverse manikins, including a first-of-its-kind bariatric manikin in the UK. Additionally, an interactive immersive room will simulate various settings to support mental health nursing programs. Cameras installed throughout the facility will enable live streaming and playback of simulations for enhanced learning experiences.
Realistic Hospital Simulation for Comprehensive Training
The new healthcare teaching facility at Aston University offers an unparalleled environment for students to gain practical experience before entering clinical placements. Two interconnecting five-bed wards replicate real-world hospital conditions, complete with functional hospital furniture, simulated gases, patient call systems, and powercut simulations. Each ward is equipped with nursing stations, storage areas, and patient hoists, including a ceiling-mounted hoist for practicing with bariatric patients. This setup ensures that students can practice essential skills in a controlled yet realistic setting.
To further enhance the realism, the wards are furnished with diverse manikins representing different patient profiles, from elderly individuals to teenagers with cancer and young girls with Down’s Syndrome. Notably, the university recently acquired a new bariatric manikin with a black skin tone, featuring a working stoma site, urinary system, chest compression unit, and IV line. This manikin, the first of its kind in the UK, provides more inclusive and realistic training opportunities. One of the wards also includes an isolation area designed for infectious disease care, complete with an anteroom for surgical preparation. These features ensure that students are well-prepared for a wide range of clinical scenarios they may encounter in their future careers.
Innovative Immersive Learning and Technology Integration
Beyond the traditional hospital wards, the new facility introduces an innovative immersive room that simulates various environments, from hospital settings to domestic and outdoor locations. This room supports the university's new mental health nursing program, set to begin in September 2025. The immersive room allows students to experience diverse scenarios, enhancing their ability to respond effectively to different healthcare challenges. The integration of this technology underscores Aston University's commitment to providing innovative and engaging educational experiences.
To maximize learning outcomes, the facility is equipped with cameras that can livestream simulations to other rooms or record sessions for later review. This feature enables students to observe and discuss healthcare scenarios in real-time or reflect on their performance during debriefing sessions. Dr. Jason Wouhra, the new Chancellor of Aston University, emphasized the importance of such immersive training in fostering entrepreneurial mindsets among students. He noted that the facility's realistic replication of medical scenarios was breathtaking, highlighting the university's dedication to preparing students for successful careers in healthcare. Professor Liz Moores, Deputy Dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences, reiterated the university's goal of becoming a leading provider of healthcare education, ensuring that students are thoroughly prepared before their first placements.