Ken Miller shares his insights on making healthcare professionals READY for the future.
Can you imagine what it takes for a firefighter to put his or her own life on the line and rescue people trapped in a burning building? Or a military medic to extract casualties from a combat zone? It certainly requires courage, but the ability to make critical split-second decisions and perform life-saving procedures under such stressful situations can make all the difference. However, let’s not forget that frontline healthcare professionals and emergency response personnel can also feel overwhelmed by these abnormal circumstances, and they are just as susceptible to mistakes as any other human. So, how can we train our frontline healthcare and rescue workers better so that they are ready to tackle crises of any magnitude and save lives even at a moment’s notice? The answer lies in medical simulation.
Simulation can be integrated into the field of healthcare to reproduce patient care sequences that promote experiential and reflective learning among frontline healthcare workers so that they are ready for medical emergencies. Medical simulation allows for the acquisition of cognitive thinking and skill-based actions through deliberate practice rather than an apprentice-style of learning. This ingrains the confidence among everyday heroes to make critical, in-the-moment decisions.
Nobody understands this paradigm better than Nasco Healthcare—a manufacturer and global leader in medical simulation. With a wide array of over 6000 rugged, realistic, and cost-effective training solutions, including manikins, skill trainers, and moulage kits, Nasco Healthcare makes medical simulation possible and accessible to all. For 80 years, the company has been striding ahead with a mission to prepare healthcare workers to be ready to deliver optimal patient outcomes and ensure fewer lives lost—whenever and wherever they are called. “We are driven by the passion and commitment to produce high-quality, affordable solutions and address the practical day-to-day skills that healthcare professionals need to perform for saving lives,” says Ken Miller, President and CEO at Nasco Healthcare.
Simulation can be integrated into the field of healthcare to reproduce patient care sequences that promote experiential and reflective learning among frontline healthcare workers so that they are ready for medical emergencies. Medical simulation allows for the acquisition of cognitive thinking and skill-based actions through deliberate practice rather than an apprentice-style of learning. This ingrains the confidence among everyday heroes to make critical, in-the-moment decisions.
Nobody understands this paradigm better than Nasco Healthcare—a manufacturer and global leader in medical simulation. With a wide array of over 6000 rugged, realistic, and cost-effective training solutions, including manikins, skill trainers, and moulage kits, Nasco Healthcare makes medical simulation possible and accessible to all. For 80 years, the company has been striding ahead with a mission to prepare healthcare workers to be ready to deliver optimal patient outcomes and ensure fewer lives lost—whenever and wherever they are called. “We are driven by the passion and commitment to produce high-quality, affordable solutions and address the practical day-to-day skills that healthcare professionals need to perform for saving lives,” says Ken Miller, President and CEO at Nasco Healthcare.
WE ARE DRIVEN BY THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS AND ADDRESS THE PRACTICAL DAY-TO-DAY SKILLS THAT HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS NEED TO PERFORM FOR SAVING LIVES
Nasco Healthcare caters to frontline healthcare professionals, law enforcement, military personnel, and first responders such as EMTs, firefighters, lifeguards, and rescue workers around the world. Additionally, Nasco Healthcare offers simulation-based training solutions for teaching institutions like nursing and medical schools.
Innovative and Affordable Manikin and Simulator Solutions
Whether it’s resuscitating a patient in cardiac arrest, putting in an IV, stopping a bleed, applying a tourniquet, or rescuing someone from a burning building—Nasco Healthcare’s simple, easy-to-use task trainer solutions enable frontline workers to build and perfect those skills on a day-to-day basis with training either in the simulation lab or at home. For example, the company’s cloud-based CPR solutions—Prompt and Buddy, enable emergency response personnel to practice all the necessary skills to resuscitate a patient. These advanced and cost-effective manikins can be used to train anyone for administering effective and accurate CPR techniques. They offer real-time feedback on compressions/ventilations on the manikin and collate, well as analyze the data, which can be shared with the trainer or certifier. Also, both the solutions are compliant with current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.
Among Nasco Healthcare’s wide range of upgradable products, the one that stands out is the first-to-market geriatric simulator, TERi (Androgynous Geriatric Care Trainer). In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly in nursing homes are at greater risk, and there is a high demand for healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for that patient group. To meet the growing needs, TERi enables staff in the nursing home to learn how to care for elderly patients through realistic, comprehensive geriatric training, from skincare and prehospital emergencies to crucial daily living assistance.
Nasco Healthcare’s realistic, rugged, and reliable Casualty Care Rescue Randy supports life-like victim handling, transportation, as well as extrication training exercises. As a full-body patient simulator, it is uniquely designed for enhanced realistic training for firefighters and military personnel as all limbs are movable, and it actually bleeds. This enables the users to practice putting on a tourniquet more effectively, patching up burns, and improving other essential skills. Endorsed by the hallmark International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Rescue Randy is one of the leading and most utilized patient simulation devices for extraction in the marketplace.
Among Nasco Healthcare’s wide range of upgradable products, the one that stands out is the first-to-market geriatric simulator, TERi (Androgynous Geriatric Care Trainer). In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly in nursing homes are at greater risk, and there is a high demand for healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for that patient group. To meet the growing needs, TERi enables staff in the nursing home to learn how to care for elderly patients through realistic, comprehensive geriatric training, from skincare and prehospital emergencies to crucial daily living assistance.
Nasco Healthcare’s realistic, rugged, and reliable Casualty Care Rescue Randy supports life-like victim handling, transportation, as well as extrication training exercises. As a full-body patient simulator, it is uniquely designed for enhanced realistic training for firefighters and military personnel as all limbs are movable, and it actually bleeds. This enables the users to practice putting on a tourniquet more effectively, patching up burns, and improving other essential skills. Endorsed by the hallmark International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Rescue Randy is one of the leading and most utilized patient simulation devices for extraction in the marketplace.
Helping Frontline Workers Combat the Pandemic Head-On
Miller explains that as the world relentlessly combats the worst crisis humanity has faced in decades, frontline healthcare workers and first responders are performing under intense pressure with an exceedingly tight margin for error. “If there’s one thing that we’ve learned from the pandemic, it is frontline healthcare workers need to be ready and prepared for any and every situation. However, many of them were not equipped with the necessary tools, training, and skills to face the onslaught of cases during the pandemic,” states Miller. As such, healthcare systems worldwide have realized the need for pandemic training to enable professionals to learn how to react and respond in situations like this and be ready for any future crisis. This includes basic training for healthcare staff in terms of operating in a highly contagious environment, understanding the type of PPE they need to wear for protection, learning the protocol and process for drawing blood, storing it, and then drawing conclusive results while diagnosing a patient. In order to navigate these exceedingly challenging times, Nasco Healthcare assists healthcare heroes worldwide through simulation training and prepares them to weather such storms in the future.
Moreover, considering the deadly consequences of COVID-19 on the respiratory system, developing CPR, intubation, and ventilation skills have become crucial for emergency response. Against this backdrop, Nasco Healthcare provides an advanced, one-of-its-kind technology product—ALEX. This cloud-based full-body patient communication simulator uses artificial intelligence to see, listen, and respond, is designed to help frontline healthcare personnel diagnose and understand patients suffering from a critical illness such as COVID-19. In fact, the company created COVID-19 specific- scenarios for healthcare first responders right after the onset of the pandemic to help them practice and improve patient outcomes.
By controlling every step from design to delivery, Nasco Healthcare ensures that its products are compliant with healthcare regulations such as OBRA, NPR, and AHA. Many of the company’s solutions are cloud-based, allowing it to continually and easily add new simulation scenarios. Every product is also future-proof with easily upgradable and replaceable parts, which allows the frontline workers to find the right training solution for their current and future needs. Moreover, Nasco Healthcare offers up to a five-year warranty on all its solutions. “We can regularly add new languages, functionalities, and simulation capabilities to the manikins from a remote location, allowing them to continuously be upgraded and updated, as well as have the ability to meet the changing needs of the marketplace in the future,” states Miller.
Moreover, considering the deadly consequences of COVID-19 on the respiratory system, developing CPR, intubation, and ventilation skills have become crucial for emergency response. Against this backdrop, Nasco Healthcare provides an advanced, one-of-its-kind technology product—ALEX. This cloud-based full-body patient communication simulator uses artificial intelligence to see, listen, and respond, is designed to help frontline healthcare personnel diagnose and understand patients suffering from a critical illness such as COVID-19. In fact, the company created COVID-19 specific- scenarios for healthcare first responders right after the onset of the pandemic to help them practice and improve patient outcomes.
By controlling every step from design to delivery, Nasco Healthcare ensures that its products are compliant with healthcare regulations such as OBRA, NPR, and AHA. Many of the company’s solutions are cloud-based, allowing it to continually and easily add new simulation scenarios. Every product is also future-proof with easily upgradable and replaceable parts, which allows the frontline workers to find the right training solution for their current and future needs. Moreover, Nasco Healthcare offers up to a five-year warranty on all its solutions. “We can regularly add new languages, functionalities, and simulation capabilities to the manikins from a remote location, allowing them to continuously be upgraded and updated, as well as have the ability to meet the changing needs of the marketplace in the future,” states Miller.
A Striking Blend of Excellence and Quality
Over the years, Nasco Healthcare has bolstered its position in the market to become a go-to simulation solution provider for several healthcare institutions worldwide. The company’s simple, durable, and cost-effective simulators, such as the LF01230 Cervical Exam Simulator, are used at the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Catholic University of Murcia. They also leverage Lucy (Maternal and Neonatal Birthing Simulator) and other cervical exam simulators by Nasco Healthcare to conduct obstetric simulation programs, such as simulation instructor courses, basic assisted delivery courses, advanced assisted delivery, advanced obstetric life support courses, and out-of-hospital advanced life support courses.
WE ARE A PURPOSE DRIVEN COMPANY AND IT ALL STARTS
WITH OUR PEOPLE
Nasco Healthcare’s Injection and Venipuncture trainers are being utilized in the Medical Simulation Education Center at the University of Pécs Medical School. A glowing testimonial by Dr. Péter Maróti, Assistant Professor and Medical Researcher at the University of Pécs Medical School, reads: “These are indispensable products to learn in-hospital and emergency care basic skills. They all have a realistic look and feel. The trainers retain their shape after several punctures. We love Nasco Healthcare because they provide several products from low to high fidelity. We always find the product that suits our needs both in a professional and material way.”
Under Miller’s leadership, Nasco Healthcare has been focused on developing high-performance teams to drive commercial and operational excellence. He credits his experienced global team as the number one asset of the company. “We a purpose driven company and it all starts with our people,” emphasizes Miller. A majority of Nasco Healthcare’s workforce have been in the healthcare simulation space for over 25 years. The company separates its team into three major buckets—manufacturing and operations professionals; customer-facing associates focused on customer service, and sales & marketing; and the R&D staff. Nasco Healthcare encourages an environment of innovation and embraces diversity and inclusion, motivating and inspiring its associates to collaborate across boundaries to develop winning solutions that meet customer needs.
Under Miller’s leadership, Nasco Healthcare has been focused on developing high-performance teams to drive commercial and operational excellence. He credits his experienced global team as the number one asset of the company. “We a purpose driven company and it all starts with our people,” emphasizes Miller. A majority of Nasco Healthcare’s workforce have been in the healthcare simulation space for over 25 years. The company separates its team into three major buckets—manufacturing and operations professionals; customer-facing associates focused on customer service, and sales & marketing; and the R&D staff. Nasco Healthcare encourages an environment of innovation and embraces diversity and inclusion, motivating and inspiring its associates to collaborate across boundaries to develop winning solutions that meet customer needs.
Committed to Creating a Lasting Impact
Over the past two years, Nasco Healthcare has launched more than 18 new solutions to the marketplace—two of which are the first of their kind. What sets the company apart from its competitors is that it is fully vertically integrated and is one of the few healthcare simulation companies to produce their goods with dedicated sales and technical support representatives in every region for supporting its clients. As an end-to-end solutions provider, Nasco Healthcare procures raw materials, manufactures and packages its products in-house, and ships them to over 80 countries all around the globe.
Steering ahead, Nasco Healthcare aims to be the fastest-growing, most profitable company in the healthcare simulation space. To this end, the company is focusing on business simplification and adding new processes and systems. From an innovation standpoint, Miller believes that there is a need in the marketplace to bring healthcare training to the masses—the general public. The company’s long-term goal is to ensure that its solutions deliver better outcomes for people living with elderly parents, welcoming a new baby to their family, or dealing with adolescents with special needs. “We envision a future wherein people can use our solutions to be prepared to meet any emergency at their home without having to visit a nursing/medical school or even a doctor’s office,” notes Miller.
Steering ahead, Nasco Healthcare aims to be the fastest-growing, most profitable company in the healthcare simulation space. To this end, the company is focusing on business simplification and adding new processes and systems. From an innovation standpoint, Miller believes that there is a need in the marketplace to bring healthcare training to the masses—the general public. The company’s long-term goal is to ensure that its solutions deliver better outcomes for people living with elderly parents, welcoming a new baby to their family, or dealing with adolescents with special needs. “We envision a future wherein people can use our solutions to be prepared to meet any emergency at their home without having to visit a nursing/medical school or even a doctor’s office,” notes Miller.
