Faculty, hospital staff receive award for curriculum innovation

Three UofL health professionals have received a 2006 Health Sciences Center Award for Technology Innovation in Curriculum for a novel project that stresses the importance of personal protective equipment.

Ruth Carrico, R.N., Ph.D., of the School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Mike Goodrow of the School of Medicine and Linda Goss, R.N., of University Hospital developed a means of using human patient simulators to disperse a cloud of fluorescent powder when the "patient" coughs, providing trainees with an effective demonstration of respiratory particle scatter.

That scatter exposes health-care workers to infection from a variety of biological agents during the routine performance of their jobs.

The new approach initially was used during bioterrorism training sessions, but it has now led to multiple research projects and several possible implementations.

The project will be honored as a presentation topic during Grand Rounds for HSC Educators.