PIKEVILLE — The University of Pikeville Elliott School of Nursing hosted the Kentucky Simulation Alliance June 3 in their first in-person meeting since the pandemic began. The meeting had 16 participants, including representatives from other area nursing schools, with others participating via Zoom.

Ashlie Newsome, MSN, R.N., CHSE, simulation director and assistant professor of nursing, suggested the idea of hosting the KSA meeting soon after the completion of UPIKE’s state-of-the-art simulation center. The preparations for the event included securing a vendor for product demonstrations, Avkin, a company that makes wearable simulators and allows a more realistic simulation through the merging of simulation and a standardized patient program.

“The hosting site had to schedule a simulation vendor, and I chose Avkin. Not only did Avkin bring their products on-site, but their CEO, Amy Cowperthwait, was our keynote speaker!” Newsome explained. “Amy has published many articles about simulation and is one of the leading researchers within standardized patient simulation.”

KSA’s mission is to bring together a community of healthcare practitioners and educators that will champion best practices in healthcare simulation through outreach, education, research and collaboration. The KSA meeting was an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the simulation center bringing together nursing educators from across the region.

“We are honored to have been able to host the first in-person meeting of the KSA in more than two years,” said Dean of the College of Health and Human Services Karen Damron, Ph.D., R.N. “All participants were pleased with the setting and the amazing products that were demonstrated by Avkin.”

Visit upike.edu to learn more about the Elliott School of Nursing and other programs.