Clinical Performance Lab

Seattle University's Clinical Performance Lab is a site of innovative teaching and learning. Located a few blocks from the SU's main campus at Swedish Cherry Hill Medical Center, the Clinical Performance Lab is a state-of-the-art, 20,000 square foot facility housing nursing simulation suites, skills laboratory areas and teaching spaces.

The Clinical Performance Lab is a highly utilized simulation hub

The Clinical Performance Lab provides students with the opportunity to translate theoretical knowledge into a safe clinical experience using realistic patient scenarios. High-fidelity manikins used in the laboratory are capable of numerous physiological states and responses, giving the student the most “real-life” experience as possible. 

Additionally, each student in the undergraduate program will have an opportunity in the high-fidelity simulation suites to have trained actors as embedded family members. The purpose is to promote communication, caring and confidence in health care delivery. For the graduate program each student in the nurse practitioner and midwifery tracks of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program are provided with standardized patient opportunities in the simulated six-room outpatient clinic, pairing them with trained actors that give students confidence and real human feedback about the development of their advanced practice assessment and diagnostic skills. With a dedicated simulation coordinator on staff to conduct simulations, our nursing instructors are able to focus more closely on student learning outcomes.  

In addition to high-fidelity simulation areas, the Clinical Performance Lab houses an acute care simulated area, centrally located in the Clinical Performance Lab and is designed for realistic, clinical practice. This 24-bed laboratory affords students the opportunity for extensive skill learning and practice time.

First in Northwest

The College of Nursing's BSN program is the first in Northwest to Receive “Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement” from the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL).

Features and Simulation

To provide highly realistic training experiences, the Clinical Performance Lab is equipped with several patient simulator models, three simulation suites and an outpatient clinic that mimic real clinical environments.

Fitted with high fidelity simulation manikins that can run evidence-based patient scenarios using these clinical settings:

  • Adult Intensive Care/Critical Care Unit
  • Community Apartment/Home Based Care
  • Emergency Department
  • Labor and Delivery, Post-Partum and Nursery
  • Long Term Care
  • Outpatient Clinic
  • Pediatric Care Unit
  • Psychiatric Interviewing and Mental Health Counseling

These manikins are used in simulation suites.

  • 2 Infant
  • 2 Pediatric
  • 2 Birthing Simulator
  • 1 Adult Male
  • 1 Adult Female

These manikins are used for fundamental simulations, case studies, teaching and evaluating basic assessment. They are equipped with realistic: 

  • Lung sounds
  • Heart sounds
  • Bowel tones
  • Fetal heart tones

These simulators are used for teaching and evaluation of basic assessment and skills.

  • Adult airway management
  • Adult and infant CPR
  • Adult and infant heart and lung sounds
  • Skills trainers
  • Central lines
  • OB/GYN
  • Lumbar Puncture
  • Chest tube insertion
  • Wound care
  • Tasks requiring sterile technique
  • Peripheral intravenous catheter management

The Clinical Performance Lab offers a comprehensive Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) program for students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. OSCE's are very helpful in nursing education because they allow a student to practice and demonstrate clinical skills in a standardized medical scenario.

Meet the CPL Team

Each team member brings a wealth of wisdom and ability to problem-solve.

Contact the CPL Team

Schedule a tour or get more information about the Clinical Performance Lab.

CPL Team

Image used in 4:5 space