When a child’s life hangs in the balance, health care teams need to not only feel confident in their skills and abilities but also work seamlessly together. No hesitation. No confusion. No errors.
With a powerful donation from the RBC Foundation, Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) will be able to bring no-cost simulation education to partner hospitals across Southwestern and parts of Northern Ontario.
“RBC Foundation’s generosity will impact paediatric care throughout our region,” said Dr. Gurinder Sangha, Medical Director of the Paediatric Simulation Program at Children’s Hospital. “Through expanded access to experiential simulation training, frontline teams in smaller urban and rural hospitals will hone their skills and be better equipped to respond swiftly and confidently when a child’s future is at risk.”
The RBC Foundation is donating $750,000 in gifts to Children’s Health Foundation and London Health Sciences Foundation. The gifts are part of a national RBC Foundation campaign rolling out during National Nursing Week (May 12-18) to support upskilling and resiliency training for health care providers.
“Healthy communities are thriving communities, and we can’t achieve this without the support and expertise of dedicated healthcare workers,” says Tanja Wilkins, RBC Regional Vice President, London Lambton. “With the London area’s population expected to increase by more than 50% over the next 25 years, it’s more important than ever to help equip healthcare professionals with future-proof skills they need.”
The gifts will be used to support two training programs: Paediatric Regional Outreach Program (PROP) and Bringing Education and Technology to You (BETTY).
PROP simulation workshops are comprised of multiple scenarios in which medical teams assess and treat a high-tech life-like medical mannequin. This experiential learning model enhances clinical competency, crisis resource management skills, error reduction, teamwork and confidence.
RBC Foundation’s support is helping to significantly expand the program’s reach from Windsor to Woodstock and up to Thunder Bay.
“Our most valuable resource in health care is our people. RBC Foundation recognizes this and is strategically investing in the development and success of medical teams across our region,” added Dr. Sangha.
BETTY focuses on on-site simulation training for nurses and allied health professionals at LHSC in short, 15-30 minutes hands-on sessions that allow them to build skills without leaving their units.
The gifts are part of the RBC Foundation’s overall $7 million commitment this year for reskilling, upskilling and improving the resiliency of nurses and health care providers at over 50 Canadian hospitals.
