Sim Center conducts assailant training exercise 

A group of Grand Valley nursing, health sciences and athletic training students, practiced emergency procedures as a part of Healthcare Simulation Week, a national campaign taking place through September 20.

The active assailant training exercise was held September 18 in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences on the Health Campus. It was coordinated by the GVSU Interprofessional Simulation Center and sponsored by Priority Health.

The students, along with faculty and staff members, received training from members of area law enforcement agencies, including the Grand Valley and Grand Rapids Police departments and Grand Rapids Fire Department. They practiced various procedures, including "run-hide-fight," "close-lock-barricade" and "stop the bleed." They also took part in rescue task force exercises.

Grand Valley students also had the opportunity to portray mock patients being treated at Mercy Health St. Mary's; students from Grand Valley's Early College program portrayed patients at Spectrum Health.

"Simulation-based training is an effective teaching strategy for skill development in complex situations," said Katie Branch, director of Simulation at Grand Valley. "The training exercise was a success due to the collaborative spirit of Grand Valley within the university and the Grand Rapids community." 

Other departments involved in the exercise included the GVSU Counseling Center, FBI, Life EMS, American Medical Response, Kent County Sheriff's Department, Kent County Emergency Management, Michigan State Police and Grand Rapids Community College.

Branch said these types of exercises help raise awareness of how health care simulation can improve the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of health care delivery.