Humboldt Bay Regional Simulation Center (HBRSC) is a unique, collaborative endeavor created by regional health care leaders and visionaries striving to improve healthcare through expansion of training opportunities in Northern California. Recognizing the challenge of training healthcare providers in a rural community and providing continuing education opportunities for our nurses, physicians, emergency personnel and our local professionals-in-training, the Steering Committee was formed to create an alternative clinical education option that bridges the gap between knowledge and practice.
Following four years of commitment, fundraising, and collaboration between numerous healthcare leaders, the pilot program known as HBRSC, created a high-fidelity simulation training program for students and healthcare professionals. HBRSC successfully initiated a pilot program with College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University’s nursing departments to integrate clinical simulation into curriculum in Fall, 2009.
In May, 2010, HBRSC was recognized nationally for its unique collaborative partnership between the region’s hospitals, university and college, Public Health department, emergency medical services and extensive rural clinic network. Robert Wood Johnson and Partners in Nursing (PIN) awarded one of nine grants to the HBRSC program, expanding operations to provide education and training opportunities specifically for nurses on the North Coast.
HBRSC’s family expanded over the summer with the addition of three new simulators, donated by Humboldt County Department of Public Health, College of the Redwoods and the North Coast Rural Clinics Network. One of these simulators, a newborn baby, made his debut at St. Joseph Hospital as a nearly drowned baby presenting to the Emergency Department.
After being open for just over a year at its original location, HBRSC expanded to a larger 3,000 square foot facility featuring three full Simulation Suites. With over 1,100 students seen after just 16 months, HBRSC is committed to bringing high-fidelity nursing and medical simulation to the and has expanded its capabilities to include not only Adult and Pediatric patients, but also Neonatal/Infant, and Obstetrical human patient simulators to professionals and students alike.