Riga East Clinical University Hospital has officially inaugurated its Simulation Centre, the first facility of its kind to be established within a hospital in Latvia.
The centre will enable healthcare professionals to strengthen their practical skills, train for complex clinical scenarios, and learn new treatment methods and technologies in a real hospital environment that is closely integrated with everyday clinical practice.
Patients are the biggest beneficiaries, as better-trained healthcare teams can provide safer, higher-quality care. At the same time, healthcare professionals can practise their skills and improve teamwork in a safe environment without putting patients at risk.
The Simulation Centre has been designed to closely resemble a real hospital environment, featuring an intensive care and anaesthesiology unit, a control room and a debriefing room. It is equipped with advanced simulation manikins and technology that can recreate complex clinical scenarios and changes in a patient’s condition, allowing instructors to adjust vital signs and other clinical parameters in real time.
After each simulation, participants review their actions, communication and decision-making together with instructors. These debriefing sessions help strengthen practical skills and improve teamwork. Training is led by specially trained hospital instructors with both clinical and teaching experience.
At Riga East University Hospital, we deal with complex medical situations every day, where the ability of healthcare professionals to respond accurately and work together is critical. The strength of a university hospital lies not in believing we know everything, but in our commitment to continuous learning. Patients may not see the operation or procedure itself, but they experience the work of the entire team. That is why simulation training focuses not only on clinical skills, but also on communication, trust and the ability to make the right decisions under pressure.
Vadims Beļuns, Chairman of the Board of Riga East University Hospital
In the future, the Simulation Centre will expand its practical training programmes for doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, orderlies, clinical support staff and other healthcare professionals in line with the hospital’s needs. Looking ahead, the centre could also support the professional development of specialists from other healthcare institutions, as well as provide practical training for patients and their families in selected aspects of care.
Riga East University Hospital’s Training Centre is the largest professional development centre for healthcare professionals among Latvia’s university hospitals. Each year, it organises more than 300 continuing education and professional development courses, helping more than 13,000 healthcare professionals strengthen their knowledge and practical skills.
The new Simulation Centre significantly expands the Training Centre’s facilities, creating more opportunities for hands-on training and helping to improve patient safety.
