AdventHealth University (AHU) and AdventHealth strategically work together to create a dynamic learning community, using the latest technology, advanced simulation, and strategic education collaborations.
These efforts landed AHU and Advent-Health on Becker’s Hospital Review’s annual list of “Hospitals and Health Systems with Outstanding Simulation and Education Programs.” Sixty-four organizations are identified in this annual list compiled by Becker’s, a well-regarded medical trade publication.
“These programs empower students and health care professionals to hone their skills in realistic, safe settings designed to mirror real-world scenarios,” states the article. “By leveraging state-of-the-art technology and lifelike simulations, these programs drive better patient outcomes, lower health care costs, and improve patient safety.”
AdventHealth’s most profound investment in education and simulation comes through its own University. Construction is currently under way on a multi-story AHU Simulation Center on its Orlando, Fla., campus, and the AHU Tampa, Fla., nursing school welcomed its first students in January. Both sites feature high-fidelity manikins and patient actors, digital anatomy tables, birthing and adult simulation suites, virtual reality learning systems, skills labs, and simulation debriefing rooms.
“AHU offers a range of simulation activities, from basic to advanced, promoting critical thinking through various high-fidelity simulation activities,” said Todd Larson, R.N., B.S.N., MSIT, CNOR, director of simulation and innovative technologies at AHU. “Our resources include a variety of simulators, task trainers, and standardized patients who are trained actors used to enhance realism in clinical scenarios. These actors allow students to practice their skills in a safe and controlled environment.”
The Becker’s listing also cites the new Clinical Scholar role introduced by AdventHealth for nurses looking to advance their careers and give back to future nurses. Through this role, nurses spend two shifts caring for patients, and one shift serving as a clinical instructor for students at AHU. This new role yields less job turnover, higher job satisfaction, improved learning for nursing students, and enhanced patient interaction.
In addition to AHU, AdventHealth collaborates with colleges and universities throughout the U.S. to develop confident and competent nurses. This includes opening 27 dedicated education units for nursing students to receive a curated clinical learning experience. AdventHealth’s nurse residency program, growing from 1,537 nurses in 2020 to 2,359 nurses in 2023, a 53% increase, provides state-of-the-art clinical simulation and clinical immersion during a registered nurse’s first year of employment.
In 2023 alone, AdventHealth invested $15.5 million in endowments and scholarships to support Florida nursing students and academic institutions.
AdventHealth and AHU are one of only six Florida hospitals and health systems on Becker’s 64 simulation and education programs to know.
According to the article, “[These hospitals and health systems] provide a secure environment where providers can develop expertise through hands-on practice.”
AdventHealth University | April 2025
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