Leaders of the UofL School of Nursing and Trilogy Health Services also announced an agreement to offer priority admission for Trilogy employees to attend the traditional bachelor of science in nursing program. Beginning in fall 2020, the school will work toward accepting 25 qualified applicants per semester, up to 50 annually. Trilogy Health Services will provide scholarship support and part-time, flexible hours to its employees who meet requirements for admission to the UofL School of Nursing.

The agreement between UofL and Trilogy Health Services is an extension of Trilogy’s recent $10-million work-based learning commitment to hire 200 Kentucky high school students into health care jobs as part of the Trilogy Scholar Program. The collaboration with UofL will create a pathway for these students to earn a four-year college degree.

“Community organization and foundation support are so important in our ability to prepare future health care providers, and we are pleased to be part of the visionary education pipeline of Trilogy Health Services,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi, PhD.

“We understand the importance of fostering high quality nurses to care for and about our residents to support the delivery of excellent care in our community,” said Barbara Dimercurio, Trilogy Health Services’ Chief Nursing Officer. “High caliber training and education, such as what will be offered in the updated simulation lab, is key to developing these nurses. We are proud to partner with the University of Louisville to create a clear pathway for Trilogy Scholars to become nurses.”

Simulation Lab Transformation

Funding from The Bufford Family Foundation and Trilogy Health Services allowed for a lab on the third floor of the nursing school to be transformed into a four-room simulation suite and home health care space. In addition to doubling the number of simulation rooms, the renovations created a separate observation room for instructors. 

“Like UofL, we believe that when we invest in our community’s youth, we invest in our future,” said Susan Bufford. “That is why The Bufford Family Foundation is so passionate about supporting new technologies and resources for UofL students. We are honored to partner with UofL to grow the future leaders of the health care industry.”

The school also plans to purchase a fourth high-fidelity adult patient simulator. Prior to the lab upgrades, the school was restricted to using only two of its three adult mannequin simulators because of space constraints. The renovated lab allows for continuous use of all four adult simulators.

“On-campus patient simulation labs are essential to educating health care students,” said UofL School of Nursing Dean Sonya R. Hardin, PhD, MBA/MHA, APRN, NP-C, FAAN. “Simulators present numerous conditions that students respond to, including difficulty in breathing, seizures and heart attacks. Our students develop clinical judgment and learn how to respond in complex clinical situations.”

Cody Swift will graduate in May 2020 and says the simulation lab has helped him become more comfortable taking care of patients.

“This lab has given me the opportunity to not only build technical skills but also has helped me learn to better communicate with patients. We are blessed to have this simulation lab,” he said.

Check out video from the dedication ceremony: 

The funds will allow a lab on the third floor of the School of Nursing to be transformed into a four-room simulation suite and home health care space called the Trilogy Health Services Simulation Lab. In addition, a separate observation room for instructors will be built. Construction starts this summer and will be completed in the fall.

Also, the school will buy a fourth high-fidelity adult patient simulator that will be housed in the lab. The school has been restricted to using only two of its three adult simulators because of space constraints. During labs, groups of five to 10 observe a single student’s interaction with a patient simulator, and because of the limited space, students spend more time observing rather than administering interventions. 

The renovated lab will allow continuous use of all four adult simulators, doubling the time students spend as the caregiver from 20 to 40 hours during undergraduate education.

“The ability for nursing students to spend quality time performing hands-on learning is critical to ensure that the students have confidence in providing the highest quality care,” said Randall Bufford, CEO of Trilogy Health Services. “We are proud, both organizationally and personally, to provide the support needed to expand the clinical simulation lab.”

Hands-on learning in patient simulation labs is essential to educating health care students, enabling them to sharpen complex skills in preparation to face real patients. Simulators present numerous conditions that students respond to, including difficulty breathing, seizures and heart attacks.

“The School of Nursing is honored to partner with Randy and Susan Bufford and the Trilogy family in this technology investment for our students,” said School of Nursing Dean Marcia J. Hern, EdD, CNS, RN. “Practicing on a lifelike mannequin that can talk, breathe and have increased heart rate and blood pressure allows students to make sound decisions under the guidance and direction of our faculty and staff. At times, students are almost brought to tears when they realize the gravity of clinical decisions they will later make in real-life settings.”