Welcome, Victoria and Mark

The College of Nursing recently celebrated a new arrival to its Clinical Performance Lab (CPL). Actually two new arrivals: a maternal and neonatal birthing simulator, Victoria, and her baby, Mark. 

Victoria and Mark are cutting-edge manikins that allow nursing students to experience realistic scenarios of labor and delivery, complications where the newborn presents signs of distress, and postpartum care of both the mother and child. 

The college held a shower for Mark last fall. Those in attendance welcomed the baby during a simulated birth demonstration. They even brought gifts—baby supplies and cash—all of which were donated to Childhaven, a nonprofit organization that serves young children who have been abused or neglected, or are at risk.

The newborn baby manikin was named to honor the memory of Mark Duwe, a sales manager at Gaumard Scientific, who introduced the birthing simulator to the CPL team before passing away unexpectedly last year. 

At the shower, Bill Broach, vice president of Gaumard Scientific, designated the College of Nursing as a “Gaumard Scientific Center of Excellence” and presented a plaque to the CPL team “in recognition of outstanding dedication to the art of simulation.” 

Victoria and baby Mark were purchased with support from generous donors to the CPL gift fund and Dean’s Fund for Excellence. 

SU’s Clinical Performance Lab is highly utilized and a site of innovative teaching and learning. Located a few blocks from the Seattle University main campus at Swedish Cherry Hill Medical Center, the Clinical Performance Lab is a state-of-the-art, 20,000 square foot facility housing nursing simulation suites, skills laboratory areas, teaching spaces and a research commons.

The lab provides students with the opportunity to translate theoretical knowledge into a safe clinical experience using realistic patient scenarios. High-fidelity manikins used in the laboratory are capable of numerous physiological states and responses, giving the student the most “real-life” experience as possible. 

Click here to learn more about the CPL and visit gaumard.com/s2200 for more on Victoria.