Services, Facilities & Equipment

ICAPSS delivers training and assessment activities across multiple sites on NUI Galway’s campus and the SAOLTA Healthcare Group’s sites. Key facilities include: two simulation laboratories (with accompanying Control Room) located in the Nurses’ Home at Galway University Hospital, and; three newly-refurbished simulation classrooms within the Anatomy Building on the main NUI Galway Campus.

Members of the ICAPSS teams are also leading the redevelopment of the School of Medicine’s Clinical Science Institute that will deliver further space for simulation-based teaching to support the development of key clinical and procedural skills among our undergraduate and postgraduate learners.

Simulation equipment and modalities

The delivery of simulation-based education and training across clinical disciplines requires the use of a wide variety of simulation equipment and modalities. Available equipment includes both full-body manikins (adult, paediatric, maternity; in a range of skin tones) and task trainers (adult, paediatric). Further, our Simulation Technicians have substantial expertise in the development of novel, and adaptation of existing, simulators in order to address differing learning needs.

Our team also has expertise in the use of other simulation modalities, primarily virtual reality and simulated/standardised patients, to support effective learning experiences for health profession students and health professionals.

Services offered by the ICAPSS Team

Our vision at ICAPSS is to transform the delivery of healthcare through evidence based quality improvement and education. We readily support local, national and international collaborators in delivering research, education or other activities that contribute to progress towards achieving our vision. Such collaborations can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• development of simulation scenarios/activities to address specific learning needs;
• delivery of simulation-based education in situ or at our facilities;
• creation of novel simulators as required to support skills training;
• supporting medical device testing;
• conducting simulation-based assessments of healthcare facilities;
• providing simulation expertise to support the development and success of quality improvement projects, and;
• supporting assessment of protocol implementation and revision of protocols as required.

Short courses offered by the ICAPSS Team

Short courses are offered in debriefing, scenario design, running simulations, selecting and using task trainers, moulage, designing healthcare games, training SPs for education and assessment, and using simulation beyond education and training.