{"id":365036,"date":"2026-10-05T18:52:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T18:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/365036\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T18:52:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T18:52:10","slug":"nyc-health-hospitals-woodhull-marks-simulation-week-with-hospital-wide-training-to-advance-patient-safety-and-clinical-readiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/365036\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull Marks Simulation Week with Hospital-Wide Training to Advance Patient Safety and Clinical Readiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull Marks Simulation Week with Hospital-Wide Training to Advance Patient Safety and Clinical Readiness<\/p>\n

The event brought together clinical teams across multiple specialties to practice high-risk scenarios, strengthen communication and prepare for real-world patient care<\/p>\n

Oct 05, 2026<\/p>\n

\"NYC\"NYCNYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull staff participate in hands-on simulation training designed to strengthen teamwork, clinical readiness, and patient safety. From left: Brian Eclarinal, Director of Quality Management; Muhammad Iqbal, MD; Cynthia Cummings, Associate Respiratory Therapist; Ayanna Antoine, Associate Respiratory Therapist; and Masroor Rehman, Associate Respiratory Therapist. Photo by Julissa Herrera.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull celebrated\u00a0Simulation Week\u00a0on September 25 with an interdisciplinary simulation event designed to strengthen clinical readiness, teamwork, communication and patient safety across multiple medical specialties. Held in Woodhull Hospital\u2019s Third Floor Auditorium, the event, themed\u00a0\u201cSimulation Found Me,\u201d\u00a0brought together over 100 over physicians, nurses and allied health professionals from Emergency Medicine, Cardiology, Respiratory Therapy, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anesthesiology, Medicine, Nursing and Pediatrics. Through hands-on demonstrations, clinical scenarios and team-based learning, participants had the opportunity to practice critical skills in a safe environment before applying them in real-world patient care. The event highlighted how simulation can help teams prepare for complex and high-risk situations, strengthen interdisciplinary communication, build confidence with emerging technology and improve patient outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation allows our teams to practice not only the clinical skills required to provide excellent care, but also the communication, coordination and trust that are essential when every second matters,\u201d said\u00a0Sandra Sneed, Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull. \u201cBy bringing our disciplines together in a learning environment, we are strengthening our readiness and reinforcing a culture in which safety, teamwork and continuous improvement remain at the center of everything we do. This is how we continue moving Woodhull from Good to Great.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\/More than 100 NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull staff came together for hands-on simulation training focused on strengthening teamwork, clinical preparedness, and patient safety. Photo by Julissa Herrera.<\/p>\n

Simulation-based education has become an increasingly important component of healthcare training because it allows clinicians to practice rare, complex and high-acuity situations without risk to patients. At Woodhull Hospital, simulation supports teams throughout the organization by creating opportunities to refine clinical techniques, test systems, strengthen communication and prepare for emergencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation gives our OB\/GYN and Maternal Child Health team a chance to practice together, strengthen communication, and prepare for emergencies we hope never occur. This fair reflects the strong commitment of NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull to being ready for\u00a0every patient, every birth, every time,\u201d said\u00a0Wendy C. Wilcox, MD, Chief of OB\/GYN at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation is not just about practicing skills. It is about building safer systems, mastering teamwork, and protecting the lives entrusted to us,\u201d said\u00a0Jonna O. Mercado, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine, and Designated Institutional Official at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

The event also highlighted the growing importance of simulation as healthcare technology continues to evolve.<\/p>\n

\u201cHealthcare is moving fast, especially with robotics. Simulation bridges that gap between shiny new technology and real-life operating rooms\u2014giving our surgical teams the repetitions they need to build confidence and deliver the best possible care for every patient,\u201d said\u00a0Javier Andrade, MD, Chair of Surgery and Chief of Perioperative Services at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation prepares us for the unexpected, it brings our teams together to practice, collaborate, and build confidence, so when a real-life event happens, we are ready with the skills, tools and teamwork our patients need to recover and heal. It was important for us to partner with the Jacobi IMSAL team and be able to bring all the departments together, because it gave staff the opportunity to share and be interactive on what we use to prepare for our patients,\u201d said Ada Villatoro-Bussa, Associate Executive Director, Inpatient Care Services at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

For nurses, simulation provides an opportunity to build competence at every stage of professional development.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation supports nurses throughout their careers as they advance from novice to expert,\u201d said\u00a0Kathy Campbell, RN, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

Emergency medicine teams also use simulation to practice high-acuity situations that may occur infrequently but require immediate, coordinated action.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation is helping our Emergency Department staff perform high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures more safely and accurately. It has also been tremendously valuable in training our staff to work as a team during resuscitation events,\u201d said\u00a0Robert G. Chin, MD, Chief of Emergency Services at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

Respiratory Care teams participated in the event to reinforce technical skills and team-based care.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation empowers our respiratory care team to strengthen skills, build confidence, and deliver better care to every patient,\u201d said\u00a0Rick Andreas, RRT, PA-C, Deputy Director of Respiratory Care at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

Pediatric teams emphasized the importance of practicing lifesaving responses in a controlled environment before emergencies occur.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn pediatrics, preparation can make all the difference. Simulation gives our teams a safe space to practice lifesaving responses, refine procedural skills, and strengthen communication\u2014from managing respiratory distress and resuscitation to performing lumbar punctures. During Simulation Week, we celebrate this commitment to teamwork, readiness, and safer care for every child entrusted to us,\u201d said\u00a0Leslie A. Hayes, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

The event reflected Woodhull Hospital\u2019s broader commitment to high reliability, continuous learning and interdisciplinary collaboration. By allowing teams to train together across specialties, simulation helps identify opportunities for improvement before they reach the bedside and reinforces the shared responsibility every staff member has in delivering safe, high-quality care.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

MEDIA CONTACT: Julissa Herrera<\/a>, NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull<\/p>\n

#218-26<\/p>\n

About NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull
NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Brooklyn. It is a premier health care organization for key specialties, including surgery, women\u2019s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, ambulatory care\/primary care, emergency medicine, and behavioral health services. Last year, the hospital received close to 480,000 ambulatory care visits and close to 100,000 emergency room visits. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org\/woodhull<\/a>, and stay connected on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city\u2019s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system\u2019s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth\u2014all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org<\/a> and stay connected on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and LinkedIn.<\/a><\/p>\n