students in scrubs in a sim room while instructors watch and instruct through the glass

James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center

The James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center provides a safe learning space for students to practice hands-on skills using simulation. 

Simulation provides a modeled environment for students to experience aspects of patient care without fear of harm to an actual patient using models, manikins, medical equipment, and human patient simulators. Some of the simulators run with computer software which allow it the ability to breathe, talk, and maintain a blood pressure and pulse.

22,000square feet of state-of-the-art simulation space
30+manikins and task trainers
for clinical learning
10high fidelity patient simulators

Advancing Interprofessional Education & Practice Through Simulation

At the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, our simulation program is dedicated to preparing students for the collaborative nature of today’s healthcare environments. Through immersive, hands-on learning, we help students develop clinical, communication, and teamwork skills essential for high-quality, patient-centered care.

Health care is strongest when professionals from diverse backgrounds work together. Our simulation program supports this collaborative environment by integrating interprofessional education (IPE) and practice (IPP) into our learning experiences. Students from various health-related programs offered at UWM engage in realistic, team-based scenarios that reflect the complexity of real-world care.

Nursing student using her stethoscope on a manikin in the skills lab
The Clinical Simulation Center in Action

This type of simulation offers a unique opportunity for learners to:

  • Practice effective communication and collaboration
  • Understand the roles and responsibilities of other healthcare professionals
  • Strengthen leadership and decision-making skills
  • Build confidence in delivering coordinated, team-based care

Our simulation program is continually expanding interprofessional simulation efforts by:

  • Fostering partnerships across UWM’s health-related programs and with community collaborators
  • Designing inclusive, team-based scenarios that reflect real clinical challenges
  • Supporting faculty development in interprofessional facilitation and debriefing
  • Leveraging technology to enhance realism and accessibility

The program’s goal is to create a learning environment where students learn with, from, and about each other—equipping them to lead and collaborate in any healthcare setting.

Simulation Spaces

Located on the 3rd floor of Northwest Quad Building C—with additional practice lab space in Cunningham Hall—our simulation environments replicate real-world healthcare settings, including:

  • Acute Care Rooms – Adult medical-surgical and intensive care
  • LDRP Suite – Labor, delivery, recovery, postpartum, and neonatal intensive care
  • Primary Care & Exam Rooms – Outpatient and ambulatory care
  • Skills Labs – Hands-on practice areas for task training and procedural skills
  • Debriefing Rooms – For observation, scenario management, and debriefing
  • Realistic Apartment Setting – Hands-on practice for providing care in a home environment
PT students practice on a PT patient in the skills lab
Physical therapy students work with a patient to simulate a hospital setting in the skills lab.
Nursing student using her stethoscope on a manikin in the skills lab
Nursing students working on their skills with manikins.
PT students practice on a PT patient in the apartment
Physical therapy student practices with a patient in the apartment setting.
health students gathered around a table in one of the debriefing rooms
One of the debriefing rooms in the simulation center.
two nursing students work on the labor and delivery manikin
Nursing students work on the labor and delivery manikin.
nursing student at the nurses station computer in the hospital simulation
Nursing student at the nurse’s station computer in the hospital simulation.
nursing student practicing her IV skills on a manikin arm
Nursing student works on her IV skills on a manikin arm.

Simulation Technology

We use a wide range of simulation technologies to support experiential learning, including:

  • High-Fidelity Manikins
    • 8 adult
    • 1 obstetric
    • 1 infant
  • Low-Fidelity Manikins
    • A large inventory of task-specific manikins used extensively for clinical skills training, including basic life support, wound care, injections, and more
  • Task Trainers
    • For focused skill development such as IV insertion, catheterization, airway management, and other procedures
  • Audiovisual Systems
    • Multi-camera setups in each room
    • Microphones and live audio feeds
    • LearningSpace™ Center Management System for video playback and debriefing
  • Hospital-Grade Equipment
    • Functional flowmeters, suction units, IV pumps
    • Vital sign monitors, nurse call systems, patient lifts
    • Modern hospital beds and furnishings designed to reflect real clinical environments
  • Virtual Reality (VR)
    • VR headsets for multiple different program scenarios across nursing, rehabilitation sciences, and biomedical sciences
    • Immersive experiences that help learners collaborate and problem-solve in realistic, technology-enhanced environments
    • Scenarios include simulated hospital rooms, fully virtual scenarios, and more

Simulation in Action

Each simulation experience is designed around evidence-based best practices, including the INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice. These internationally recognized guidelines are used across healthcare disciplines to ensure consistent, high-quality, and learner-centered simulation. At UWM, these standards guide all simulation activities to support both discipline-specific and interprofessional learning. Scenarios include:

  • Prebriefing – Students complete preparatory materials in advance and receive an orientation to the simulation environment, roles, and expectations to ensure psychological safety and readiness.
  • Clinical Simulation – Realistic encounters using manikins, standardized patients, or virtual platforms
  • Debriefing – Guided reflection to reinforce learning and support growth
Nursing student practicing skills on a manikin.
Nursing student practices on a manikin in the skills lab.
A radiologic technology student using virtual reality to practice their skills
Radiologic technology student practices using virtual reality.
Nursing students practice skills on a labor and delivery manikin.
MN nursing students work on the labor and delivery manikin.
Nursing student works on the ICU simulation manikin.
Nursing student works on the ICU simulation manikin.
Doctor of Nursing Practice uses virtual reality goggles to practice a clinical simulation.
DNP student practices a clinical simulation using virtual reality goggles.
MN nursing students practice their IV skills.
MN nursing students practice their IV skills.
MN nursing students practice a neonatal simulation on the infant manikin.
MN nursing students practice a neonatal simulation on the infant manikin.
Clinical instructor observes a nursing simulation in progress.
Clinical instructor observes a nursing simulation in progress.
Nursing student practices her IV skills in the skills lab.
Nursing student practices her IV skills in the skills lab.

Accreditation

The UWM Simulation Program is proud to be accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and has earned INACSL Endorsement for the Cornerstone Standards: Prebriefing, Debriefing, Facilitation, and Professional Integrity.

ssh accredited program logo
official INACSL endorsement badge

Contact Information

414-229-5507

UWM Northwest Quad
Building C
Red Elevators – 3rd Floor
Parking map and directions

Simulation Center hours:

Hours may vary. Please call the center to confirm.

Regular Semester Hours
Monday through Friday:
8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Summer Hours
Monday through Thursday:
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Fridays by appointment only.

headshot of jessica rotier
Jessica Rotier, PhD, RN, CHSE, CNE
  • Clinical Associate Professor
  • Director of Clinical Simulation Education & Research
Noah Stevenson
Noah Stevenson
  • Sim Center Operations Coordinator
headshot of mary
Mary Theisen, MN, RN, CNL, FNP-BC, APNP
  • Clinical Sim Center Instructor
Kristen Unger
Kristen Unger
  • Clinical Sim Center Technician

Utilize the following online forms to schedule time in the James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center. Simulation Center business hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. If you have questions about completing these forms or about the reservation process, please contact Noah Stevenson.

Schedule a Tour – Use this form to schedule a tour of the simulation center so that we can ensure your needs are met.

Nursing Simulation Scenario – Use this form to describe to the Simulation Team your specific needs for a UWM School of Nursing simulation scenario — including the number of participants, the expectation of simulation experience, etc.

Simulation Scenario – Use this form to describe to the Simulation Team your specific needs for the simulation scenario — including the number of participants, the expectation of simulation experience, etc.

Media Production – In the event that you will be filming in the Simulation Center, please use this form to schedule, so that we can ensure we are prepared for your visit and the proper setup is available and that you can get the material you need.

Equipment Checkout Requests* – Use this form if you would like to reserve Simulation Center equipment for checkout. Reservations for equipment use are for faculty, staff, and students only.

*Please submit a minimum of one week (seven days) prior to your desired deadline.