St. Mary’s University High-Fidelity Nursing Simulation Center

San Antonio, Texas

St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, recently opened its state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation Center, a dedicated space for high-fidelity clinical training. Located on the third floor of the Blank Sheppard Innovation Center, the facility equips nursing students with realistic, hands-on learning experiences while meeting accreditation requirements and supporting the university’s mission of innovation in nursing simulation and healthcare education. Ford AV designed and installed a fully integrated audiovisual system across the center, including cameras, microphones, and speakers in simulation spaces, debriefing areas, the control room, and a multipurpose classroom. Students check in using QR code readers, and the Interact Solutions server connects to all systems and runs the simulation center. 

The Need for a Modern, Realistic Simulation Environment 

St. Mary’s University needed a fully equipped simulation floor that would allow students to practice essential skills safely, repeatedly, and under observation. The vision included a space where students could make mistakes without risk to real patients, review their clinical decisions through recorded sessions, and learn through guided feedback.  

Ensuring the simulation technology never distracted from the experience was a major priority. This guided every design decision, ensuring the center would facilitate learning smoothly and efficiently. The university needed an AV partner capable of turning these academic goals into reliable workflows. Ford AV became the trusted integrator to lead this transformation. 

Creating a Fully Integrated Nursing Simulation Center 

To build a true-to-life and academically aligned training facility, St. Mary’s partnered with Ford AV to design and integrate an ecosystem of connected simulation rooms, debriefing environments, and flexible classroom spaces. The Interact video simulation platform serves as the backbone for recording, observation, assessment, and playback. 

The heart of the floor is a large simulation lab that mirrors a real hospital ward. Seven fully equipped nursing bays are arranged with the same open layout, overhead curtain tracks, and medical utility panels found in clinical environments. Each bay includes high-fidelity manikins capable of simulating a wide range of patient conditions.  

Adjacent to the large lab is a simulation suite consisting of individual observation rooms. These single-bed environments allow instructors to watch students through control-room windows, guide live scenarios, and record every action for review. Each room reflects authentic clinical settings with simulation patients representing diverse ages, sizes, and medical needs. 

The center also includes a home-care simulation room designed to replicate a residential living space. Students practice caring for patients in environments where equipment is limited and home features, such as kitchens and living areas, introduce new challenges. A dedicated prenatal and NICU simulation room extends training into maternal and infant care, complete with specialized manikins and realistic newborn equipment. 

Debriefing and Flexible Instructional Spaces 

In addition to its simulation rooms, the center includes a debriefing space where faculty and students review recorded scenarios together. This seminar-style room supports detailed video playback, allowing instructors to highlight decisions, responses, and areas for improvement. The goal is not only to have students practice nursing skills but to reflect on their clinical reasoning and communication. 

A flexible teaching classroom sits nearby and serves as a multipurpose instructional hub. This room can be rearranged to accommodate large medical equipment, skills demonstrations, or video-based instruction. It features multiple display points along the perimeter, allowing faculty to share live or recorded simulation sessions. The design supports everything from formal instruction to clinical walkthroughs. 

From Vision to Reality 

The idea for a comprehensive nursing simulation center had been part of St. Mary’s long-term vision for years, and the plan became a top priority as the university expanded its academic footprint into healthcare education. 

Once the decision was made, the process moved quickly yet intentionally. Leadership set clear goals aligned with institutional size, mission, accreditation expectations, and community needs. Faculty and academic technology staff worked closely with Ford AV to ensure that every room, workflow, and user interface met the standards of a growing nursing program. The result is a facility that feels complete, future-proof, and academically impactful from the moment a visitor steps onto the floor. 

A Simulation Center Designed for Growth and Long-Term Impact 

Though the nursing program is still growing, the simulation center is already making an impression. Visitors consistently express excitement and admiration for the center’s realism, design quality, and academic purpose. The facility positions St. Mary’s as a regional leader in simulation-based nursing education and supports community health initiatives. Most importantly, it prepares students to enter the healthcare field with confidence and competence. 

Ford AV supports universities and nursing programs in clinical training and preparing students for patient care through medical simulation centers.