• Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences Medical Simulation Center gives parents valuable practical guidance to simulate insertion of a tracheostomy tube that allows the baby to breathe safely
• Khalaf Ahmed Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center is the largest facility of its kind in Dubai and recreates a complete patient journey in a realistic hospital environment

Dubai, November 2, 2020: Reiterating its goal to selflessly serve communities, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) has collaborated with Mediclinic Middle East to assist the parents of a newborn baby who has severe breathing difficulties. 

The baby developed severe respiratory complications following premature delivery and the insertion of a tracheostomy tube was prescribed to aid the child’s breathing. MBRU opened the doors to its Khalaf Ahmed Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center, the largest facility of its kind in Dubai, to the parents and a professional caregiver, to guide them on the process of inserting the tube correctly. 

The parents and caregiver were taken through the procedure of inserting the tracheostomy tube, ensuring its correct positioning, and how to change it by practicing on mannequins so that they would be comfortable to complete the procedure on the child. 

“Inserting a tracheostomy tube is a precise procedure that requires practice and training. We are thankful to MBRU and the Simulation Center staff for being so generous with their time and facilities in order to help the baby’s parents and caregiver practice the procedure, clarify their doubts, and offer their unstinted support to ensure the parents and caregiver are comfortable in performing the procedure at home and in the safest possible manner,” said Dr. Helen Strike, Head of the ICU Pediatrics Unit, Mediclinic City Hospital, and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, MBRU. 

Professor Nabil Zary, Director, Institute for Excellence in Health Professions Education, MBRU, said that the Simulation Center’s ability to recreate realistic hospital environments and simulate various medical procedures was a boon to the UAE’s medical community, allowing healthcare professionals and caregivers valuable time in perfecting complex techniques. 

“Serving the community through cutting-edge healthcare developments is something we take very seriously at MBRU. We are very happy to be of help to our partner, Mediclinic, and the parents of the baby, to perfect an intricate medical procedure in our state-of-the-art simulation center, which replicated the required environment perfectly. Simulation has two main health outcomes: patient safety and quality of care. The importance of this procedure is about the safety of the baby and the quality of care that will be provided by the parents and caregiver.

“It allowed the parents to learn how to care for their baby by practicing on a mannequin first, which really makes the real-time situation a lot less stressful. We remain committed to stepping up to help communities and people in need in the UAE with our expertise and cooperation,” he added.  

The Khalaf Ahmed Al Habtoor Medical Simulation Center at MBRU, spread over 34,000 square feet, is a medical education and training facility that is fully accredited by the international Society for Simulation in Healthcare, designed to educate and enrich skills in patient care by creating a complete patient journey, ranging from pre-admission to discharge, in an authentic hospital environment. The Simulation Center allows MBRU students and the wider healthcare community to immerse themselves in various healthcare scenarios, clinical skills, training sessions, and upskilling exercises.