Washington, DC, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- America’s Blood Centers (ABC), the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that supply 60 percent of the nation’s blood supply, today announced a new multi-year national partnership with Body Interact, a leader in virtual patient simulation technology. This collaboration aims to help innovate the way students and potential blood donors learn about the critical importance of blood donation by providing cutting-edge virtual patient scenarios illustrating the lifesaving impact of blood donation as part of an expanded Vein to Vein: The Science of Blood Donation high school education program, to be released in the coming weeks.
"America’s Blood Centers is proud to partner with Body Interact to bring cutting-edge virtual learning scenarios to our Vein to Vein program. This collaboration will help innovate how students and potential blood donors learn about the critical importance of blood donation, fostering a lifelong interest in supporting our nation’s blood supply. We look forward to working together to provide an engaging and interactive learning experience that will help strengthen and diversify the blood supply for years to come," said Kate Fry, CEO of America’s Blood Centers.
"At Body Interact/Take The Wind, we are honored to join forces and collaborate with America's Blood Centers. By offering students a chance to experience realistic patient simulations, we aim to bring attention to the universal relevance of blood donation through experiential learning. Not only is blood donation a noble act, but also a critical one that could touch students' loved ones and their communities. We are excited to bring this valuable resource to thousands of high school students across America," said Raquel Bidarra, U.S. Country Manager at Body Interact.
ABC and its international division, ADRP: the Association for Blood Donor Professionals, first released Vein to Vein: The Science of Blood Donation, a groundbreaking high school education program in 2022 to help educators craft lesson plans to develop student leadership skills and a lifelong interest in supporting our nation’s blood supply. This turn-key resource is educator-crafted and designed to meet Next Generation Science Standards. Implementation goes beyond the field of science to also offer opportunities to integrate English Language Arts and Mathematics.
This partnership recognizes the increasing demand for digital healthcare education and comes at a critical time for the blood supply. From 2019 to 2021, there was an alarming 60.7% decrease in donations from individuals 16-18 years old. This is especially concerning considering that nearly 20% of all blood drives were held at high schools or colleges last year. Early education and exposure to blood donation is a critical step in creating life-long blood donors.
As part of this collaboration, Body Interact will develop 10 cutting-edge digital scenarios covering essential topics such as blood and trauma, pre-hospital blood use, and the vital need for a diverse blood supply. These immersive scenarios will be integrated into an expanded version of ABC's Vein to Vein program to be released in the coming weeks, offering educators and students complimentary access to a more engaging and interactive learning experience.
Over the five-year duration of this partnership, ABC members will utilize these scenarios in schools nationwide, enhancing their ability to provide immersive and impactful education in classrooms across the country. Members of ABC’s international division, ADRP: The Association for Blood Donor Professionals, as well as educators implementing Vein to Vein, will receive a complimentary trial to further explore these innovative scenarios.
Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers. Its member organizations operate more than 600 blood collection sites providing close to 60 percent of the U.S., and a quarter of the Canadian, blood supply. These blood centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities across North America. All ABC U.S. members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit www.AmericasBlood.org.
Body Interact is a clinical system adopted around the world to train learners in decision-making and critical thinking, with lifelike virtual patients, in hundreds of clinical scenarios. Body Interact enables both medical professionals and students to accelerate learning, develop clinical skills and achieve excellence in their performance. Its vision is to be the most reliable, engaging and widely adopted clinical education system in the world. To learn more, visit www.BodyInteract.com.
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