Baptist Health to Dedicate The Homeyer Institute for Nursing Research and Education on May 9
Dedication to Include Demonstration of SimMan™, Life-Like Patient Simulation Mannequin

Jacksonville, Florida, April 30, 2007 -- Baptist Health will dedicate The Homeyer Institute for Nursing Research and Education during National Nurses' Week on Wednesday, May 9. The event will be held at Baptist Medical Center Downtown, fifth floor, Baptist Medical Pavilion, beginning at 10:30 am.

The dedication will include the unveiling of a plaque honoring Bruce and Judy Homeyer, who made a major contribution through their charitable fund to help critical care nurses provide evidence-based best practices at Baptist Downtown.

In addition, the event will include demonstrations of SimMan™, a full-size, male or female (gender is interchangeable), anatomically correct mannequin that allows nurses to practice their assessment skills, including intubation and extubation; starting an IV; listening for heart, lung and bowel sounds; and many other vital functions. SimMan was purchased for nursing student education by the Bruce and Judy Homeyer Charitable Fund, as well. The patient simulator system was named "Gus" by Baptist Health nurses in honor of Bruce Homeyer's father, August Homeyer, PhD, a chemist who invented and developed medicinal chemicals.

"The goal of utilizing SimMan is to improve patient safety and outcomes," says Victoria Cate, MSN, RN, director of Education, Baptist Downtown.

The Homeyer Institute for Nursing Research and Education also will house all Baptist Downtown nursing education and research activities, including computer workstations for nurses to use for clinical research, along with nursing journals and books. The Institute has already sponsored its first Nursing Research Day, which will be an annual event benefiting Baptist Health nurses and nursing students.