New SETH Lab to Strengthen CRNA Training and Patient Safety

FranU is investing in the future of nurse anesthesia education through the development of a new Simulated Environment Teaching Hospital (SETH) lab for its Nurse Anesthesia program.

Designed to mirror real clinical environments, the renovated space will give students expanded opportunities to build technical skills and clinical judgment before entering operating rooms and other high-acuity healthcare settings.

This upgrade will consolidate the program's simulation spaces into SETH, creating a centralized environment that includes four OR-style simulation bays. By centralizing training, faculty will be able to conduct multiple simulations simultaneously while creating more realistic, anesthesia scenarios.

The space will feature advanced equipment, including anesthesia machines, gas delivery systems, ventilators, physiologic monitors and high fidelity mannikin systems, which are capable of delivering life-like physiologic responses to a myriad of anesthetic agents. This equipment will support students’ practice in managing high-risk, low-frequency events such as airway emergencies, malignant hyperthermia crises, hemodynamic instability and massive transfusion protocols.

This investment is not simply a renovation, it is a strategic commitment to patient safety, workforce readiness and the future of anesthesia care delivery,” said Dr. Ross Castille, program director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program. “Strengthening the CRNA simulation environment at FranU helps ensure graduates enter clinical practice with the skills needed to provide safe, high-quality patient care.”

As a result of this training, students will enter clinical sites on day one with acute situational awareness, earned confidence and hands-on experience before interacting with patients.

Renovations are scheduled to begin in September and conclude in November. The updated space will further FranU’s mission of preparing compassionate, highly skilled healthcare professionals through innovative, experienced-based learning.

As healthcare systems continue facing workforce shortages and increasing demands for high-quality patient care, investments in simulation-based learning are becoming increasingly important in preparing the next generation of providers.

Learn more about FranU’s CRNA Program and SETH.