Healthcare

PHS The HALL

From Call Center to Medical Simulation Lab

The Presbyterian Health Services Healthcare Advanced Learning Lab (PHS The HALL) trains healthcare providers throughout the Presbyterian system using advanced simulation technology and configurations. The HALL expands in-house training to staff across the state and helps attract and retain critical nursing staff in New Mexico.

Designed in Presbyterian's image

The HALL is a renovation and repurpose of The Cooper Center, a building designed to house PHS’ call center operations. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, call center operations were moved to a remote model, and the building sat empty for years.

The goal of PHS The HALL was to design a simulation center that would foster a community of “home grown” nurses that are instilled with the culture and practices of PHS. To do this, our healthcare design studio was tasked with designing high fidelity simulation spaces that closely resemble patient rooms across the Presbyterian system. This enables nurses to acquire and practice their skills safely in an environment that closely matches what they will encounter in their daily work.

Through our many years of working with PHS on projects of all sizes, we were already familiar with the layout of patient spaces, streamlining the design process.

The building needed significant renovations to accommodate patient beds, medical equipment, and ceiling mounted equipment. Crumbling concrete panels and flooring installed in the 90s showed the building’s age. Flooring materials were recycled from other parts of the building. The updated flooring and improvements to decking underneath created a floor system that accommodates the load of patient beds and medical equipment.

Although these spaces were designed as a one-to-one match for patient spaces, they didn’t need to connect to complicated MEP systems or med gas, nor did these spaces need to meet the strict regulatory requirements that patient care spaces do. This enabled a streamlined design and construction process.

State of the art simulation

Designing state-of-the-art simulation spaces requires close attention to detail and designing for flexibility. We designed simulation spaces with easily operable partitions in between rooms so spaces could easily flex between small and large group training.

Simulation rooms are also used by PHS at Downtown PHS Hospital, Rust Medical Center, and various outpatient clinics. This training space was designed to be identical, apart from a major upgrade in technology. Highly advanced robotic patients grace beds at the HALL: simulating strokes, cardiac arrest, and spinal damage from falls. They even talk to the providers as part of their programmed simulations. We carefully designed the layout of the facility, enabling a seamless integration of this tech with other building systems. The design also utilizes these integrations to support recording devices to capture training sessions. Trainees get access to “game films” of their simulations to see what they did well and find ways to improve.

Simulation spaces included a full ADL suite for in-home nursing care training, a post-acute care bay, and resuscitation bed. Zones were optimized so providers could collaborate in groups. While these training spaces are used mostly for nursing staff, it’s important that they simulate working in a group with other providers as well.

A model for healthcare training in New Mexico

Within just three months of completion, The HALL has onboarded 900+ new clinical staff and provided life support certification to more than 1K+ clinical staff, including Neonatal & Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Trauma Nursing, and Emergency Pediatric Nursing. The facility supports new graduate nurses through residency and fellowship programs, along with the Presbyterian Nursing Career Pathways program in partnership with Brookline College.

In addition to overwhelming positive feedback about The HALL’s space and educational impact from clinical staff, the project has also seen increased external interest from community partners and donors. The advanced simulation training space has partnered with local schools and community organizations to host more than 400 students this year, inspiring and educating kids about healthcare career pathways. Thanks to the success of this facility, The HALL also received funding from the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation to purchase a fleet vehicle with the goal of expanding simulation training to regional facilities.

From simple catheter insertions to the in-facility apartment that trains EMTs on rescuing fallen or unresponsive patients, The HALL supports critically needed clinical staff, as they care for our state.

Client
Presbyterian Healthcare Services

Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Size
25,001-50,000 sf

Disciplines