Clinical Learning Center

The VCU School of Nursing has a Clinical Learning Center (CLC) that transforms the clinical education of our students. The specialized state of the art facility provides an interactive environment that simulates a variety of clinical settings. Clinical simulations are based on clinical situations, with identified learning objectives. They provide students structured experimental learning opportunities, especially for patient conditions that occur infrequently in actual supervised clinical hours. Simulation allows for practicing clinical skills, decision making, developing clinical judgment and priority setting.

Computerized life-like Human Patient Simulators (HPS) are sometimes referred to as high-fidelity simulators. These manikins simulate patient responses, such as heart sounds, lung sounds, and verbal responses. Some HPS manikins breathe, have audible heart sounds, and can be programmed to have specific responses after desired interactions are implemented.

The Clinical Learning Center is utilized by undergraduate and graduate nursing students. The Center is located on the second floor of the School of Nursing Building. There are twenty-six patient areas in the CLC, with new physical exam tables and new hospital beds. Specialty equipment areas include an area for pulmonary and respiratory care, intravenous insertion arms for IV starts and blood drawing, two Virtual IV tm computer stations, and our 40 student audio-visual classroom.

Not all scenarios are high tech. Some scenarios deal with sample patient nurse communication, or other high risk or difficult communication situations. The CLC is able to simulate an actual inpatient hospital setting. Using actual patient (without identifying data) situations, multi-disciplinary teams can interact by making patient rounds, practice patient to health care provider communication, and develop priorities in care. Students or manikins can be "patients" in these situations. Anyone interested in participating or observing scenarios or simulations in action is encouraged to contact CLC staff.

View CLC calendar This link takes you to a VCU Mail Anywhere page where you can use your eID and password to view the events scheduled in the CLC. To schedule an event, please use the CLC request form.