Thursday's spotlight we sat down with George Johnson, Simulation Technician at Ashland University College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
In honor of Healthcare Simulation Week, we are spotlighting the professionals who dedicate their lives to improving healthcare outcomes through training, skill development, and research. We sat down and asked questions about how they approach their career in simulation healthcare.
George Johnson
Simulation Technician
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in healthcare simulation?
"Honestly, I just kind of fell into this opportunity and field. My previous work in information technology provided a solid background to do well in this role, but I had no particular background or interest in healthcare before this job."
2. How do you stay updated with the latest advancements and best practices in simulation technology and techniques?
"I subscribe to get on-going updates from some organizations/sites which are in the healthcare simulation space. Also, several vendors – both our current ones and prospective ones – send me news about what their companies are working on and news about advancements in the field."
3. What aspects of your role as a healthcare simulation leader bring you the most satisfaction?
"It is satisfying to be able to provide a technological solution to an end-user instructor who is desperate for assistance when their scenario is on-hold with a group of students, due to a technology issue. That same satisfaction is felt when I can troubleshoot a puzzling and/or complex problem in the labs and fix the issue."
4. What have been your "aha" moments that have reshaped the way you approach simulations?
"The awareness of the importance of realism in a healthcare simulation scenario has had the most significant impact on the way I try to approach how the lab space looks. I speak often with the instructors about the importance of this issue when they are teaching in the labs and encourage students to “suspend their disbelief” and to immerse themselves in the scenarios."
5. What advice would you give to individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare simulation?
"Gain as much knowledge and experience as you can on both the technology and healthcare fronts. Networking with others and going to see other healthcare simulation lab spaces gets the creative juices flowing and nearly everyone in this field is glad to share their ideas and experiences with others, so put this to good use!"
About VALT at Ashland University College of Nursing and Health Sciences:
Ashland University College of Nursing and Health Sciences uses simulation to increase the knowledge and skills of their students. Simulation is used across the curriculum for nursing, physician assistant, and health science students. Ashland University has installed VALT video solutions in their Simulation Center to provide students with the most innovative and experiential learning environment that better prepares them as future healthcare professionals.
Are you considering an expansion, renovation, or new simulation space?
Our new comprehensive resource (+eBook!) walks through healthcare simulation lab planning details, including the key topics and tools to use in your early planning stages.
