Thanks to the generosity of the Wellington community, in 2015 Wellington Hospitals Foundation funded an Air Ambulance Flight Simulator, investing $300,000 into a state of the art training tool that has been transforming medical education at Wellington Regional Hospital for over a decade.
Our new Air Ambulance Flight Simulator further enhances our hospital’s reputation. Facilities like this help us attract and retain medical staff, who know they will be supported in their training and have access to world-leading equipment.- Virginia Hope, Former C&CDHB Chair
The Air Ambulance Flight Simulator is the same size as a real air ambulance and moves just like the real aircraft, providing medical staff with an incredibly realistic training environment.
Delivering healthcare in the cramped, sometimes turbulent conditions of an air ambulance is a huge challenge. Nurses and doctors must insert IV lines, monitor patients and keep them stable, often in high-pressure, unpredictable situations.
ICU specialist Dr. Alex Psirides explained the impact of the simulator,
Before the simulator, the first time medical personnel encountered these conditions was on an actual flight with a patient. Now, they can train for any scenario in a safe, controlled environment. This improves our ability to deliver care and keeps both staff and patients safer.
This demonstrates the tangible impact that donors can have on medical training and patient care.