The May 2 move into the Lawrenceville hospital provided Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC's Pediatric Simulation Center with a new simulation suite and equipment. As with the Oakland campus, we have a state-of-the art simulation room, including complete audiovisual capabilities to serve the entire hospital. In addition, we have a room in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit room that is equipped for simulation when not in use for patient care. Finally, a mobile simulation cart has been added to our equipment. This will facilitate our ability to promote simulation education promptly and in any area of the hospital.

On May 7, the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research was the site of the Pittsburgh Pediatric Critical Care Fellow Boot Camp. This simulation program, which originated at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) five years ago, brings together East Coast pediatric critical care fellows for educational experiences from national experts, including interactive didactics and active participation in simulation scenarios. Content for these senior fellows included scenarios on pediatric difficult airway, congenital heart disease, and an interactive case discussion revolving around pediatric traumatic brain injury. Experts and fellows from Johns Hopkins University, CHOP, and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC participated.

Staff from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Pediatric Simulation Center and the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research recently participated in the Ninth Annual John M. Templeton Jr. Pediatric Trauma Symposium in Pittsburgh. The symposium attracts more than 200 health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, and allied health personnel who are involved in the care of pediatric trauma patients.

The second day of the two-day event featured simulations of critically ill pediatric trauma patients. Scenarios that allowed for large group presentations combined with audience participation were a huge success. Breakout sessions provided the opportunity for small group learning by practicing hands-on management of realistic simulations of pediatric trauma patients. Each simulation scenario was followed by an instructive debriefing conducted by an expert in pediatric emergency care.

Participants relayed an enormous amount of satisfaction with their simulation experience. The conference is a joint project of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Saint Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

On June 15, the Peter M. Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research will be the site of the second annual pediatric intern procedure course. Pediatric interns will rotate through five different stations and practice hands-on skills. The stations include trach replacement, venipuncture and intravenous catheter placement, bladder catheterization, arterial line puncture and lumbar puncture. Each station includes a video, skills checklist and skills practice — all facilitated by experts.