Local Cable Show Features the Educational Work of the Health Science Simulation Center

The Alameda County Public Health Department cable show, 'The Public's Health,' is getting ready to air a mini documentary about Samuel Merritt College (SMC) Health Sciences Simulation Center (HSSC).

Starting May 29 at 8:30 p.m., the program, hosted by Anthony Iton, M.D., J.D., MPH, Alameda County Public Health Department Director and Health Officer, will showcase the realistic nature of HSSC educational work. Through interviews with Celeste Villanueva, CRNA, MS Director, Program of Nurse Anesthesia and Director, Health Sciences Simulation Center, SMC students and simulation scenarios, the program will show how the center incorporates instructional technology and innovative learning design across the curricula.

"We want to show the hands-on experience, the mentoring, the critical thinking and implementation experience gained in the simulated scenarios," said Albert P. Pappalardo RN, PHN, Producer of 'The Public's Health'. "We really want to illustrate the richness of the debriefing experience, the gaining of confidence and most importantly how Samuel Merritt College helps meet employment demand in healthcare sector."

The month-long program will feature the College's Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) students using the human-like mannequins, managed by highly sophisticated computer software and supervised by SMC faculty, to simulate medical conditions.

"With patient safety at the core of what drives the use of human patient simulation, the graduates of our health professional education programs can bring their lessons learned in our state-of-the-art Health Sciences Simulator Center fully into their clinical practice, and hopefully make a difference in today's health care systems,' said Villanueva.

'The Public's Health' airs on Comcast Thursdays 5 p.m.; Saturdays 4 p.m.; and Sundays 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Channel 26 (Oakland to Richmond), Channel 27 (Newark), Channel 28 (Alameda to Union City and part of Castro Valley), and Channel 29 (Fremont). The show also is broadcasted on Alameda's Channel 31 on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. and on Oakland's KTOP Channel 10. Check their website at http://www.acphd.org/user/services/AtoZ_PrgDtls.asp?PrgId=78 for times.

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