The SimSurg Education Center (SSEC) at California Pacific changes the way fundamental surgery-related skills are taught and evaluated. This mult-disciplinary facility provides a vital platform for continuing education while also creating a laboratory setting for research and development in surgical skills innovation, anesthesia techniques and nursing education.

Among the special features of SSEC are high-definition (HD)conferencing, which is fully integrated with the first HD operating room in the United States; Human Patient Simulators and a complete simulated operating room and post-anesthesia recovery unit.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to serve the global surgical community with the highest quality hands-on learning environment, to pioneer the evolution of the immersed surgical education experience, and to define the surgical training model for tomorrow's surgeon, registered nurse and healthcare support team.

Patient Safety through Simulation

The ability to experience rare but critical situations in simulation allows for education and development of clinical algorithms without consequence to an actual patient. Through simulation training, patient safety and outcomes are likely to be improved when similar situations are encountered in a clinical environment.

Continuing Education

Currently, surgeons acquire skills through a prolonged training process of residency and fellowship. It is generally assumed that surgeons will learn new skills as techniques change. Through simulation and digital communication, training in new techniques and technology can now be accomplished in a more controlled fashion. Most participating surgeons will be actively practicing and seeking to enhance their technique or acquire new skills.

Anesthesiologists often face critical and unpredicted clinical challenges in the operating room. Through simulation, rare events can be experienced without consequence to a patient. At the same time, critical decision making and algorithm development can occur.

The SimSurg Education Center will also educate perioperative nurses, specializing in the care of patients undergoing operative or other invasive procedures. Perioperative nurses work on the surgical front lines, so no one is better qualified or has the capacity to advocate for and ensure patient safety in the surgical setting. Training in a simulated and controlled environment allows for the development of critical thinking skills, physician-nurse relationship building and optimization of performance of the surgcal team.

Images courtesy of Draeger Medical and METI