Renovation creates Northwestern Medicine’s flagship simulation space
A 10,000-square-foot remodel transforms a ground-level obstetrics unit into the nucleus of Northwestern Medicine’s simulation program. The center offers lifelike scenarios for trainees ranging from clinical staff and first responders to EVS technicians and outside agencies.
The floor plan divides into two key spaces: The EMS training component includes a classroom and skills lab with low-fidelity training tools. The simulation section houses hospital-equivalent spaces (surgical room, urgent care/immediate care room, cleaned/soiled utility rooms) and virtual immersion rooms.
Two theatrical “white box” spaces use projection technology to create realistic scenes such as a public park, a home interior, or a city street. In another area, a remote-controlled ambulance rig mounted on a pneumatic system can shake or bounce to create a more authentic experience. Projectors can also cast a street scene onto the walls that surround the rig.
All training spaces have cameras connected to two control rooms, each of which has stations with wall-mounted monitors. Four debriefing rooms enable instructors and trainees to analyze their simulations.
At the entry, a desensitization passage leads trainees toward the brighter simulation space, then a curved wall directs them toward the corridor that separates the EMS and simulation sides.
