Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge About Us

Less than 3 years ago, the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge was a fully-operational hospital. Now it is a state-of-the-art teaching facility, loaded with breakthrough technologies such as high fidelity interactive mannequins, fully-functioning patient care skill labs, and simulation rooms with digital recording capabilities. To facilitate teaching in the 21st century, classrooms are wired with built-in audiovisual technology, audience response system, and a host of leap-ahead instructional and simulation aids.

Study after study shows that the highest-quality healthcare results come from an interdisciplinary approach. The CEC encourages participation not just by physicians and nurses, but students and professionals engaged in public health, bio-engineering, informatics, social work, pharmacy, law, psychology and government. The unique interdisciplinary center is intended to preserve the healthcare safety net and prepare the next generation of health professionals. In addition to general instruction and development of interdisciplinary skills, initiatives focus on areas of community need that highlight different healthcare skills and perspectives, such as diabetes prevention and treatment, mental health and substance abuse, and medical errors and patient safety.

The Center features:

• Flexible instructional spaces equipped with multimedia technology
• High fidelity simulation labs complete with audiovisual equipment to support interdisciplinary team training
• Interactive mannequins that provide learners with a safe, error forgiving environment to practice interdisciplinary team approaches to patient care
• Debriefing rooms with complimentary audiovisual equipment to support the simulation labs
• Multiple Skills Labs for learners to practice skills and interventions in a real life hospital setting
• Computer labs and learning resource areas
• Medical Library
• Convenient location in Downtown Austin

Our Goal:

• To expand and enhance medical education
• Maintain a state-of-the-art simulation center
• Improve patient outcomes through collaborative education among all healthcare professionals using the facility
• Create a unique education environment and opportunity for all allied health professionals
• Increase enrollment in nursing programs and improve preparedness among graduate nurses
• Implement creative faculty models to support increased enrollment in nursing programs
• Implement long term solutions to address nursing faculty shortage

Also located within the Clinical Education Center is the Seton Family of Hospitals’ Office of Research Administration and Center for Nursing Research.

The Clinical Education Center is building a unique reputation as a one-of-a-kind facility for training, simulation, seminars, and national conferences as a result of the interdisciplinary focus, use of the latest medical technology and simulators, and the outstanding training environment. Leaders with Seton, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Austin Community College and Concordia University believe that the CEC will be able to take advantage of Central Texas’ diverse and nationally recognized academic assets, a growing and financially secure hospital network and an experienced and successful entrepreneurial and venture capital community.