Clinical Experience

Clinical Learning Center (CLC)

The purpose of the Clinical Learning Center (CLC) is to create practice opportunities that promote safe, effective, quality and culturally appropriate care in a realistic environment.

The goals of the CLC are to:

• Employ evidence-based practice
• Facilitate use of appropriate technology in clinical practice
• Enhance the learner's psychomotor skill sets, clinical reasoning and reflective practice
• Facilitate transfer of theoretical knowledge to clinical practice
• Promote collaborative practice among the health professions

Simulation and Skills Labs

The state-of-the-art, 9,000-square-foot Clinical Learning Center provides a supportive environment that enhances learners’ psychomotor skill sets, clinical reasoning and reflective practice.

The skills lab is comprised of an 11-bed hospital ward, a three-bed practice area, and an athletic training and equipment lab. Participants learn and hone their skills through demonstration, supervised practice and feedback, peer practice and feedback and independent practice.

Five simulation rooms allow learners to function in their roles within realistic situations. Rooms and equipment are adapted to accommodate many types of care environments and client care. Human patient simulators mimic human physiologic responses (heart and lung sounds, pulses, chest movement, eye movement, vocal sounds, etc.) that can be adjusted based upon the learners' responses. Actions are documented in real time at the bedside using an electronic health record (EHR). Activities are monitored, recorded and discussed during debriefing.

The Clinical Learning Center faculty and staff are experienced healthcare providers who have special training in healthcare simulation education. They collaborate with School of Nursing and Health Professions faculty to develop scenarios that meet the unique needs of the learners and support standards of practice for safe, quality and culturally competent care.