Maximizing Budget Dollars with CARES Money

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocated $14 billion to post-secondary institutions to use with the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) portion. Schools can use these funds for distance learning equipment, financial aid to students, and other supplies and equipment that support their curricula.

Deciding how to make the most of grant funding can be overwhelming. A good place to start with what to purchase is asking “What” and “How”. What do students need to improve learning outcomes? How might those supplies positively impact long-term learning, retention, and student safety?

To help our higher ed customers, Pocket Nurse® has put together some considerations about simulation and infection control supplies that can make a difference and help organizations maximize their budget dollars.

Automated Dispensing Cabinets

Here are three questions to ask in order to determine the right medication management system for simulation education.1 It’s not as simple as choosing the ADC found in the closest hospital.

1. Is the system scalable? The goal should be to build a complete system for the simulation lab.
2. Can patient profiles be created and updated as needs change? Some organizations prefer instructors be able to make and implement changes, but some are comfortable sending requests to the manufacturer and waiting for updates.
3. What are ongoing costs? Costs may increase year-over-year, but budgets may not.

Learn more about ADC options and talk with a Simulation Lab Expert about the automated medication management system that is right for your program.

Headwalls

Kathie Campbell, at HSI Headwalls, says, “A patient room can be a scary and overwhelming space.” Learning to treat patients in an environment that closely replicates a patient room will make a student a better clinician.

“The average hospital budget is $350 per square foot outside of urban areas," Campbell says. "In an urban area, it can be as high as $700 per square foot. With an average college or university expecting a construction budget of $160 per square foot for lab space, [organizations] are looking at a huge dollar discrepancy.

“Simulation headwalls replicate the feel of a patient room at a fraction of the cost,” Campbell points out. “With wall-mounted and mobile options, the configuration possibilities are endless.” Functioning simulation headwalls with air, suction, and simulated oxygen will more fully prepare future nurses and clinicians for their first real patient room visit.

• A simulated headwall is a type of headwall façade available as a horizontal or vertical flat wall unit, and can include accessories at an affordable price.
• A functioning headwall generates vacuum, air, and simulated oxygen by connecting to an external compressor. It more closely simulates a real-world medical environment through simple design, yet is still thousands of dollars less than true headwalls that connect to a centralized system.

See the Pocket Nurse Headwall Headquarters to create simulated patient care rooms that are realistic and immersive by installing headwalls with a variety of simulated accessories and patient care functions.

IV Pumps and Refurbished Equipment

Remanufactured simulation equipment is one of the best value solutions that Pocket Nurse offers. Our refurbished options include hospital beds and IV pumps. We can customize length of warranty and service with the customer. We have partnered with industry-leading remanufacturing companies that have excellent reconditioning programs, warranties, labor, and technical support for their reconditioned products. In addition, we offer two- and three-year labor and part warranties on many of our remanufactured products.

Many customers only seek the lowest price on remanufactured products. Being obsessed with finding the lowest price can create a big headache down the line. The quality of the remanufacture may be poor; warranties may be shorter or non-existent; and a low price may indicate no labor or technical support.2

View the Pocket Nurse BioMed-Certified Reconditioned Medical Equipment booklet here (PDF).

One More Thing

A third consideration in making the most of budget dollars is value. Value includes more than how money is spent. Quality products, excellent service, peace of mind, product knowledge, and experts who understand customer needs are also important factors.3 Value is a long-term proposition, and pricing is short term. Value should be on the mind of a HEEFR recipient upgrading equipment and staying within budget, while reaching the goals of the program and students.

Sources:

1, Kitchen, T. “3 Questions to Determine the Right Medication Management System for Simulation,” SimTalk™ Blog, April 24, 2019. https://blog.simtalkblog.com/blog/3-questions-to-determine-the-right-medication-management-system-for-simulation

2. Anderson, M. “The Value of Remanufactured Medical Equipment for Simulation,” SimTalk Blog, December 2019. https://blog.simtalkblog.com/blog/the-value-of-remanufactured-medical-equipment-for-simulation

3. Anderson, M. “Nursing Simulation: Value is More Than Price,” STB, January, 2019. https://blog.simtalkblog.com/blog/nursing-simulation-value-is-more-than-price