Purdue Global partnering with Northern Light Inland Hospital on innovative learning model featuring state-of-the-art simulation center

WATERVILLE, Maine – A new partnership between the Purdue Global School of Nursing and Northern Light Inland Hospital will create a more efficient and innovative learning model that meets the needs of Purdue Global students, Inland Hospital staff and the community. The partnership includes a state-of-the-art simulation center to be located on the Inland campus at 222 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville, next door to the hospital.

The simulation center will utilize a family of high-fidelity, Gaumard brand manikins that include an infant, child, birthing mother and adult. The space will consist of large high-fidelity simulation suites staged to mock hospital rooms with audio/video capabilities, a master control room, several conference rooms to hold debriefings, a dedicated skills lab, break area, nurses' station, central supply area, medication preparation space, offices and storage space.

“We are excited to partner with Inland Hospital, creating a state-of-the-art simulation facility that enables our nursing students and health care colleagues to engage in immersive learning with a keen training focus on patient safety, high reliability and quality of care, all while fostering interprofessional collaboration serving the rural community,” said Melissa Burdi, Purdue Global vice president and dean of the School of Nursing.

Additionally, the organizations are working together to create mutually beneficial interprofessional simulation experiences where multiple health care professionals can practice patient and family care together.

Inland Hospital president Tricia Costigan said, “This medical simulation lab partnership gives our health care staff another important way to continue to hone and grow their clinical skills. State-of-the-art, hands-on training, with easy access right on our hospital campus, is invaluable. We are grateful for Purdue’s collaboration to help us deliver the best care possible to our community.”

This arrangement builds on an existing partnership between Purdue Global and Inland Hospital, in which Purdue Global students have completed their clinical rotations at the hospital.

About Northern Light Inland Hospital

Northern Light Inland Hospital is a community hospital in Waterville with primary and specialty care practices and a continuing care center. As part of Northern Light Health, we’re building a better approach to health care because we believe people deserve access to care that works for them. As an integrated health delivery system serving Maine, we’re raising the bar with no-nonsense solutions that are leading the way to a healthier future for our state. Our care teams across the state — in hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, long-term and home health care, behavioral health care, and ground and air medical transport and emergency care — are committed to making health care work for you: our patients, communities and employees. To learn more about Northern Light Health and our locations across Maine, visit www.northernlighthealth.org.

Purdue Global writer/media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-496-6160; oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

Northern Light Inland Hospital media contact: Sara Barry, sbarry@northernlight.org 

Sources: Purdue Global: Melissa Burdi

Northern Light Inland Hospital: Tricia Costigan