Enhancing Emergency and Critical Care Transport Through an Air/Ambulance/Hospital Simulation Lab

Grant Application

Marion Jones, MSN, RN, CFRN, PHRN, CMTE, STAT MedEvac

Proposed Innovation

STAT MedEvac is a critical care transport system and the clinical arm of the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania (CEM). Its fleet of helicopters and ground ambulances, staffed by highly trained medical crews, provide advanced care and rapid transport for patients to regional medical centers.

The goal of this project is to better prepare crews facing complex life-and-death decisions during the transport of critically ill patients. A lab will be built with realistic simulators to provide immersive, hands-on experiences for crews caring for patients in a helicopter or ambulance, as well as a hospital intensive care unit (ICU).

Improvements in Action

Through this project, an open training area will be converted into a lab with three realistic zones: a helicopter simulator, an ambulance mockup, and a simulated ICU room — plus a conference space for debriefing.

The lab will be used to conduct quarterly simulation sessions for more than 180 STAT MedEvac crew members. Each scenario will be tailored to trauma, cardiac, neurologic, obstetric, and pediatric emergencies.

Intended Outcomes

Construction of the air/ambulance/hospital simulation lab/conference space is expected to have a powerful impact, resulting in improved decision-making, faster interventions, stronger teamwork, and ultimately better patient outcomes.