The tension in the operating room was palpable as the patient’s heart rate skyrocketed unexpectedly during surgery on her fractured ankle. Julie, the 19-year-old soccer player
under local anaesthetic, worriedly asked what was wrong. The medical and nursing team reassured her as they quickly assessed and took action to stabilize her condition. Despite its location in
the Royal Jubilee Hospital, this was not a typical operating room. Nor was Julie a typical patient; she’s actually a life-like mannequin. Both are part of the new $2.9-million Centre for
Interprofessional Clinical Simulation Learning, a partnership between UVic’s School of Nursing, UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and Island Health.