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ADVAnCIng HeALTHCAre

By Jim StokeS

AV brings Washington State University’s Nursing Program to life.

Sound & Communications Contributing Editor Jim Stokes has been involved in the AV industry for more than 30 years as an AV technician and writer.

Washington State University’s Inter-collegiate College of Nursing (ICN) has a new facility on the Riverpoint campus in Spokane. The teaching experience incorporates interactive AV classrooms, multimedia, distance learning, research, clinical and simu-lation laboratories. For our purposes, we’ll cover AV use in classroom basics through practical hands-on instruction, which includes both simulator and hu-man patients.

According to Washington State Uni-versity (WSU), the College of Nurs-ing’s new home has a total budget of nearly $34 million. Educating more than 1000 upper-division undergradu-ate and graduate students, it provides upper-division undergraduate nursing education in partnership with Eastern Washington University in Cheney and Whitworth University in Spokane as part of the nation’s first, oldest and most comprehensive nursing educa-tion consortium. Correspondingly, a Master of Nursing degree (MN), with programs leading to specialization as a family nurse practitioner, psychiat-ric/mental health practitioner and/or community-based population-focused nurse, is offered.

At press time, the nursing programs were in full swing. Looking back, the College of Nursing welcomed its inau-gural class of PhD students during the Summer of 2007, providing doctoral ed-ucation using a combination of face-to-face and distance-education methods. Using the distributive nursing educa-Washington State University’s Intercollegiate College of Nursing (ICN), Spokane WA.

January 2010 41

tion models, students are served at five locations across the state, in Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Walla Walla and Yakima.

CreditsBefore we continue, here are the

credits. The design and install for the College of Nursing’s AV systems was by Avidex AV, Spokane WA, with Bill Watt as the designer. Our tour guides for the install are Charlie Niemi, CTS, Avidex Branch Manager, and Saleh Elgiadi, WSU Director of Information Technology.

The AV systems reveal an abundance of flexibility as our voyage progresses from sit-down classroom/distance learning and their control rooms through a multimedia lab, seminar and conference rooms, and winding up in the hands-on clinics. Therefore, getting to be a nurse is like getting to Carn-egie Hall, as the old joke and truism goes: Practice, Practice, Practice.

Niemi observed that the WSU AV project was “by far the most intense we’ve ever done with them. We’ve worked with Washington State Uni-versity for eight or nine years doing a lot of different projects. And in my 20 years in the AV business, this is my largest project and certainly the most complex from a technology perspective and putting all the AV together to work in a variety of ways.”

Citing the complex example of work-ing with distance-education classrooms, he noted, “Going into one classroom is no problem. But incorporating four of

them so they can be controlled from a control room was pushing our techno-logical envelope.”

Distance EducationRegarding serving the information

needs of students in Spokane as well as the other locations, WSU’s Elgiadi explained, “It reaches those sites over videoconferencing technologies be-cause students want to access informa-tion and feel as if they’re in the same classroom. We didn’t want to inhibit the spontaneity, collaboration and camara-derie that develops between students. They’re able to ask questions, interact and get the material that the instructor is presenting, whether it’s PowerPoint, images or a video. Whatever the mate-rial is, they have the same view as the local students.”

There are four distance-education classrooms in the nursing building. Via AMX control, each instructor can choose either in-room or far-site IP-based AV conferencing modes. Cor-respondingly, the rooms’ seating ac-commodates 40, 60, 100 and up to 140 students. Each classroom has its own equipment rack.

Routing is via Extron in RGBHV DAs. Kramer is well represented with vari-ous video DAs, matrix switchers, com-ponent converters and scan converters. In fact, Extron and Kramer devices are in the AV framework throughout the in-stall. Therefore, let’s take a look at one of the two larger rooms as a prototype for most of the AV functions. We hasten to add that the smaller rooms are also

well equipped, but with scaled-down versions of the same technology.

Thus, in our example from a larger room, a Shure push-to-talk cardioid mi-crophone is shared by every two stu-dents. There are 120 total student mic sources within the two larger rooms. When the mic is turned on, a Vaddio PTZ camera system, based on the Sony EVI camera, zooms in to show viewers on the far site who is talking, making the instruction quite personal and not a gaggle of disembodied voices from Spokane. Similarly, the camera system can track the instructor, who has a choice of a Shure gooseneck and a Shure wireless lavalier for himself and/or a guest lecturer. Classrooms have three strategically placed Vaddio PTZ cameras.

Conferencing SystemBecause we’ve introduced the audio

aspect, note that all microphones and other audio sources run through the ClearOne Converge Pro audio confer-encing system with its eight-channel automatic mixer, which acts as the room voice lift and/or audio feed to the far site. Room audio is heard on JBL in-ceiling speakers, driven by Crown power amplifiers. IR hearing assistance is provided by Phonic Ear StarSound 600 large area systems.

On the videoconferencing side, there’s a Polycom codec. All the room’s video sources go through the Analog Way seamless switcher and are sent to the two Panasonic projectors housed in Chief ceiling mounts. The

There are two control rooms: The SAC control room (left), with four work stations controls all classrooms; the other is the backup, used in case of an overflow or emergency, as well as when staff has to be in the building in which it is located.

Sound & Communications42 www.soundandcommunications.com

By way of a personal experience, this writer would like to go back in time be-fore SimMan AV technology for a whimsi-cal look into an adventure with two health manikins. The memorable event took place in the late 1960s, when I was working at a health agency in Minneapolis during the anti-smoking craze. Typically, in the Ameri-can way, our agency and many others were trying to get people to stop smoking and stop all other forms of air pollution right now! So our parent agency came out with “Sam and Millie: the Smoking Dummies,” which made the rounds of the public schools.

Each of these smiling manikins was equipped with small hidden chest loud-speakers under its clothing, to which a two-track tape player could be connected. It was my task to hire two young actors to pre-record the Sam and Millie lines.

All went well, except the speech could only be heard a few feet away and with not much pizzazz. That didn’t do any good for hearing the action on stage in an audito-rium or even overcoming the ambience of a classroom! So, we brought out a power amplifier to drive more powerful separate speakers within the manikins. Fortunately, we got a lot of media coverage for our exploits.

In comparison with the current WSU College of Nursing’s SimMan and his com-panions, our pair of manikins had frozen smiles, only one anti-smoking spiel (“Take a tip from a dummy and don’t smoke.”) and no rolling eyes.

—Jim Stokes

screen was provided by the construc-tion company.

And there’s a WolfVision document camera handily mounted above the instructor’s demonstration table. A pair of big-screen 46-inch NEC flat-panel monitors on Chief mounts of-fers side-by-side viewing. “Those are what we call ‘confidence’ monitors,” said Niemi.

“The NEC displays are hanging from the ceiling about 15 to 20 feet back from the podium so the instructor can see what’s being projected on the

room screen. In the case of the Col-lege of Nursing, the instructor might write or show a heart or an arm. The Altinex modules in the podium allow for a guest presenter’s laptop or some other AV composite video device to be plugged in.” There’s also the con-venience of a dedicated JVC DVD re-corder/VCR combo with tuner.

In-room AV and distance conferenc-ing are all well and good for students in attendance, but what about the student who can’t make it to the lecture? Ac-cording to WSU’s Elgiadi, the univer-

SimMan, WSU College of Nursing’s manikin, is another aspect of the school’s hands-on AV educational programs, and is a far cry from what the author experienced “back in the day.”

Before SimMan: Health Manikins I Have Known

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Sound & Communications44 www.soundandcommunications.com

EQUIPMENTDistance Education Classrooms (x4)4 Altinex ISC2000-I PC modules4 Altinex ISV3000-I AV modules4 AMX 12" Modero VG Series table top touch panels4 AMX NI-4100 control processors6 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port cards2 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers4 Chief PCM-2241 flat-panel ceiling mounts4 Chief RPA-6500 mounts for Panasonic PTL-D5500U4 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/Converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic mixer expansion units6 Crown 280A amps2 Extron DA6 RGBHV distribution amps24 JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus compact in-ceiling speakers4 JVC DRMV100B 1080p up converting DVD recorder/VCR combos w/tuner4 Kramer 1X3 video DAs4 Kramer 8X8 XGA matrix switchers4 Kramer RGB to component converters4 Kramer VP-123V inputs on XGA projectors10 Kramer XGA & HDTV scan converters4 Middle Atlantic ERK-4425 44-space-deep standalone racks9 NEC Displays LCD4620-2-IT 46' LCD monitors7 Panasonic PBTS PT-DW5100U 5500 lumen DLP projectors4 Phonic Ear StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems4 Polycom HDX 9004 HD codecs120 Shure MX392/C boundary cardioid mics (total, split between the two largest classrooms)4 Shure MX418D/C 18" desktop gooseneck mics4 Shure ULXP14/85 wireless lav mic kits4 Sonic Foundry MSL-CSR-B05 RL education bundle (covers all four classrooms)4 Sonic Foundry MSL-SFT-POD Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converters4 Sonic Foundry MSL-SSS-S15 Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converters12 Vaddio WallView Pro HD1 camera systemsSeminar Rooms (x2)2 Polycom HDX ceiling mic arrays4 Altinex ISC2000-I PC modules2 Altinex ISV3000-I AV modules2 AMX NI-4100 control processors2 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port cards2 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount2 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers2 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems6 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts2 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points2 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/Converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic2 Crown D75A amps2 Extron DA6 RGBHV distribution amps8 JBL CONTROL 24C speakers2 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/VCRs w/tuner2 Kramer VP-123V inputs on XGA projector2 KramerVP-502XL XGA, HDTV scan converters4 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks6 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors2 Polycom HDX ceiling mic array extension kits2 Polycom HDX 9004 codecs2 Samsung SDP-900DXA XGA digital presenters2 Shure ULXP14/85 wireless lav mic kits4 Vaddio WallView Pro HD1 camera systems1 WolfVision VZ-C12 Visualizer system, ceiling mounted

Clinical Simulation (x3)6 Altinex PNP-402 pop-up interfaces5 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount5 AMX NI-3100/ICS NetLinx controllers5 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers5 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems5 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts5 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points5 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/Converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic5 Crown D75A amps5 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/VCRs w/tuner5 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks w/accessories5 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors w/SP4020-4620 speakers5 Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 audio conferencing systems5 Polycom VSX 7400e PresentersClinical Practice (x3)1 Altinex ISC2000-I PC module 1 Altinex ISV3000-I AV module5 AMX MIO-CLASSIC-D-WH white button controllers5 AMX NI-700 NetLinx small room controllers4 Behringer DSP110 SHARK digital 24-bit multifunction signal processors1 Chief RPA-191 projector ceiling mount1 Extron MPA 122 audio power amp4 Extron YC switchers2 JBL Control 24C speakers1 JVC HRXVC11B progressive scan DVD player/VCR combo4 Marshall Electronics V-ASL8080 8" NTSC monitors w/stand1 Panasonic PT-F200U LCD projector4 Shure MX202W/C overhead mics8 Sony EVID70 pan/tilt/zoom color NTSC video cameras4 Sony RM-BR300 BRC-300 remote 1 VBrick 7500-0120 Ethernet portal software5 VBrick 9190-4200-100 Windows media streaming encodersConference Rooms (x5) 6 Altinex pop-up interfaces 5 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount

5 AMX NI-3100/ICS NetLinx controllers5 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers5 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems5 Chief.PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts5 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points5 Crown D75A amps5 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/VCRs w/tuner5 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks5 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors w/SP4020-4620 speakers5 Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 audio conferencing systems5 Polycom VSX 7400e Presenter videoconferencing systemsMultimedia Lab16 JVC HRXVC11B DVD/VCR combos8 Listen LA-102 telescoping top-mounted antennas8 Listen LA-106 telescoping top-mounted antennas32 Listen LR-400-072 receivers32 Listen LR-400-216 216MHz display receivers8 Listen LT-800-072 stationary FM transmitters8 Listen LT-800-216 assistive listening transmitters64 Listen LA-165 stereo headset 16 Samsung LN19A450 19" LCD HDTVs

Control room rack.

January 2010 45

sity not only deployed the school’s first high-definition AV conferencing, but also provided video on demand throughout the Spokane campus. Fortunately, each classroom has a Sonic Foundry Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converter, which records all distance learning education classes.

“So we can extend that material to students just as it was delivered in the classroom, in its entirety,” he explained. “The students can download the materials on their MP3 player, iPod or laptop, so they won’t miss a thing. This comes in handy if a student is ill and could not otherwise attend class.”

Control RoomsNext, let’s go through the control rooms in the Col-

lege of Nursing building and the SAC/Spokane Aca-demic Center, starting with the nursing building control room. Niemi pointed out that the control room has four work stations. “Whereas, in the past, they had one op-erator per classroom, you can now have one operator controlling all four of those” in the distance-education classrooms, he told us.

Highlighting the control area functions, the NEC monitors can look at the classroom cameras full screen or break the images down into quad or smaller window views via the Avitech videowall processors. Similarly, they can take in and window all video signal sources,

Multimedia Viewing 1 Altinex CM11332 Cat5 snap in 1 Altinex PNP-402 pop-up interface Altinex PNP inserts, connectors1 AMX MIO-CLASSIC-D-WH white button controller 1 AMX NI-700 NetLinx small room controller 1 Phonic Ear CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening system1 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mount 1 JVC HRXVC11B DVD/VCR combo1 NEC LCD4620-2-AV 46" HDTV LCD monitor w/speakerControl Rooms12 Alesis M1 ACTIVE 520 reference monitors (pair) 2 AMX NI-4100 control processors1 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port card6 AMX NXP-PLV Modero PosiTrack pilot camera controllers 4 Avitech MCC-8004aL videowall processors w/4 passive loop outs4 Avitech VCC-8004c videowall processors w/4 inputs2 Cisco 8-port switches4 Communications Specialties Fiberlink 7240 RGBHV receivers4 Communications Specialties Fiberlink 7240 RGBHV transmitters2 Extron MLP 101 mic to line preamps2 Kramer VP-8X8 8x8 XGA matrix switchers1 Kramer VP-8X8A 8x8 XGA matrix switcher3 Kramer VS-88A 8x8 audio matrix switchers2 Middle Atlantic ERK-4425 44-space deep standalone racks w/accessores12 NEC LCD3210-BK-IT 32" LCD monitors4 Polycom HDX 9004 HD codecs6 Rolls HA-43PRO 4-channel headphone amps6 Shure 522 desktop mics8 TOA NX-100S network audio adapters1 Whirlwind SPC82L 8-channel audio splitter List is edited from information supplied by AVIDEX.

Sound & Communications46 www.soundandcommunications.com

including computers and DVD/VCRs. That efficiency includes AMX PosiTrack camera control that allows cameras to be moved and switched. Computer pre-sentations on the far site can also be monitored using the Polycom codecs.

Then there’s the “God mic,” quipped Niemi, referring to the control room Shure desktops that come into play when an instructor can’t make equip-ment work. So the instructor calls the control room and says, “I can’t see the monitor.” A disembodied control room voice then comes over the classroom ceiling speaker: “Push the button!”

A Synergism Between Rooms

There’s a synergism between the nursing and the SAC control rooms. Although the nursing control room is dedicated to the four classrooms, the SAC control room is a master control center that can control the nursing classrooms and other distance-educa-tion rooms on campus. “That’s where the Cisco eight-port switches and the Communications Specialties Fiberlink receivers and transmitters come into place,” explained Niemi. “We’re send-ing information back and forth between the two buildings over a fiber system.” Audio monitoring is over Alesis speak-ers. All microphones come through the classrooms into the control room via a Whirlwind audio splitter.

The multimedia lab provides a li-

brary setting for students to check out medical AV media to study in a carrel environment. The lab’s AV complement is comprised of 16 JVC DVD/VCRs, 16 Samsung LCD HDTVs and 64 Listen system wireless stereo headsets. “In some cases, there will be two to three students around the LCD,” said Niemi. “You can have a maximum of four stu-dents viewing. That’s why there are 64 headsets. They’re for listening without disturbing your neighbor.”

The two seminar rooms are similar to the nursing classrooms, but smaller. Equipment-wise, there are some differ-ences noted as we highlight the spac-es. Thus, the presenter uses a desktop Samsung digital presenter in place of a ceiling-mounted document camera. Each seminar room has a Vaddio cam-era and a Polycom 9004 conferencing codec with a Polycom ceiling mic array. Instead of projectors, three wall-mount-ed NEC flat panels display in-room or far-site images. There are Altinex modules for laptop connection at the podium, and there’s a Shure wireless lavalier mic for the presenter.

In comparison, the five conference rooms are smaller than the seminar rooms and are scaled down, accord-ingly. A glance at the equipment list shows basic AV tools are in order. The differences are the popup Altinex inter-faces and the companionable Polycom VTX 1000 audio conferencing system along with the VSX 7400e Presenter videoconferencing systems.

Clinical SimulationThanks to our AV tour guide Charlie

Niemi, we started with the head-to-toe classroom basics before we finally en-countered actual hands-on patient di-agnosis rooms. For those phases, we have two related, but separate, paths with one major difference.

There are three rooms each for both clinical simulation and clinical practice. However, the essential dif ference is that “simulation,” as the name im-plies, deals with a non-human patient and “practice” deals with we flesh and blood humans. Because we now, we hope, have your full attention, we’ll first detail what goes on in clinical simulation with SimMan, a portable, advanced patient simulator for medi-cal team training from manufacturer Laerdal (www.laerdal.com/simman). The medical manikin has realistic anatomy and clinical functionality. It’s designed to provide simulation-based education to challenge and test stu-dents’ clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient-care sce-narios.

In addition to SimMan, the nursing program has a SimWoman and SimBa-by, as well. And students can safely hone their skills in a non-threatening environment.

According to Elgiadi, the simulation suite is used in different ways. Students can come in and start the simulation session to practice their skills, indi-vidually or in groups. “We also have

Each of the four classrooms features extensive applications of AV.

January 2010 47

classes where the students are brought through and the instructor will have a simulation in mind.”

Three RoomsSpecifically, three rooms comprise

the simulation suite as pointed out in the following scenario featuring Sim-Man. A student nurse enters (1) the examining room to check out Sim-Man’s symptoms. In turn, the student is watched through a separate one-way glass (2) observation room by class-mates. In the examining room, the stu-dent places a stethoscope on the mani-kin in a hands-on experience. Although SimMan isn’t real, he isn’t a “dummy,” either, in the pejorative sense of the word. Therefore, to aid the diagnosis, SimMan’s innards bespeak bowel and breath sounds. And he has a pulse and a heartbeat.

Furthermore, he speaks out about how he feels. Nursing instructors ob-serve and manage the scenario from (3) a separate room. It’s up to the

teaching staff to program the simulator via computer with typical clinical vital signs, sounds and symptoms. After the diagnosis, there would be a treatment plan in which the patient/simulator might develop a drug reaction. Then a new scenario would be set forth.

Highlighting the AV aspects, Niemi explained that there’s Phonic Ear assis-tive listening. The Analog Way device allows for signal routing with video go-ing to the displays, codec or computer as desired. As in the other instruction spaces throughout the install, there are AMX control panels.

The ClearOne Converge Pro audio conferencing system, with its mixer, plays a major role in the simulation suite. It allows for seamless audio among the three rooms because the ClearOne is integrated into the inter-com system. JVC DVDs are used for recording events. Audio and video-conferencing are via Polycom. There are Cisco wireless access points, as needed.

Clinical PracticeClinical practice is like going to a

doctor’s exam room, complete with a patient exam table and accompanying medical instruments. For this instruc-tion, there are nursing students role-playing as flesh and blood “patients.” There are two doctor’s offices and a space for viewing the procedures. AV-wise, the exam rooms have ceiling-mounted Sony PTZ cameras with re-motes for student and instructor usage. They can zoom into a particular area on the patient for diagnosis. Procedure viewing is via an eight-inch Marshall Electronics monitor.

Role-playing between the patient and nurse entails such standard procedures as taking temperature and blood pres-sure. As the scenario unfolds before the camera, there are two Shure over-head mics to pick up conversations at either end of the room. Other AV equip-ment coming into play includes AMX pushbutton control, Altinex PC and AV

(continued on page 69)

69

SIgHT LINeS(Continued from 12)

We’ve done it before, and we can do it again! • The Control Room: An innovation born from the minds-eye of an integration firm in Southern California in the late 1980s. A manu-facturer didn’t invent this. • Digital Signage: Although NEC Display first coined the term in the mid-1990s, the concept was born via a moderately suc-cessful, until that moment in time, AV integration firm based in Florida.

but not sourcing their com-mercial needs. Additionally, with the turnaround in the economy and the housing market, this obviously has been a transition period for our dealers.

S&C: What makes the commercial space attrac-tive?Menna: Obviously, we had dealers that were completely focused on the custom space and, to move forward and maintain their business and position, they had to look at alter-natives in terms of new opportunities. Commercial is the natural transition for them. It’s a matter of casting a wider net, if possible, when each seg-ment itself might be more constricted.

have been basic solutions and adding control, offer-ing more digital signage and so forth.

S&C: Describe dealer feedback to these changes.Menna: All the feedback we’ve received has been extremely positive. Dealers are thrilled that they have these solutions. Dealers that are new to the space are excited about the op-portunity and are looking into their business to see how they can enhance what they’re doing. The vendors have been sup-portive, as well, and our vendor partnerships are critical for our success. We’re very grateful for their support, from training on down. n

INDuSTRy PoV: AVAD’S PuSH INTo CoMMeRCIAL(Continued from 29)

input modules, Behringer signal processing, JVC DVD/VCR com-bo player, Extron switching and power amplifier, and JBL speak-ers.

Events in the two prac t i ce rooms are re-corded on VBrick. The third space/obser vation room has a Panasonic LCD projector for viewing the recorded proce-dures on a building contrac-tor-furnished screen.

Healthcare Providers Need

Finally, taking a wide view, the College of Nursing’s new building with its extensive

ADVANCINg HeALTHCARe(Continued from 47)

The classroom touchpanel offers simple-to-use controls of AV functions.

• Telepresence: Way before that term was ever used, an upstart AV inte-gration firm from Chicago was taking existing VTC gear and making telepres-ence rooms that connected two sites together in life-sized proportions.

I could go on and on, but you should get the picture by now: Integrators actu-ally served as the catalysts to innovation in these new markets and channels.

Who’s next? n

S&C: Does AVAD have a relationship with Info-Comm International or the National Systems Con-tractors Association?Menna: We recognize the importance of both. We will be exhibiting at InfoComm this year, increasing our presence at the event fourfold. We look to forge a relation-ship with NSCA moving forward. Several of our vendor partners in the commercial space enjoy established relationships with both organizations.

S&C: What can we expect from AVAD in the future?Menna: One of our big strengths is training; so, for the last few months,

we’ve done a lot of that, and we continue to expand it. We’re offering both Intro to Commercial and more advanced classes. We’re also focused on tying together our solutions. Finally, we’re working more closely with our sales managers to ensure they’re engaging in commercial opportunities, as well.

AVAD prides itself on its integration and providing conduit between vendors. Thus, we hope to leverage our relationships with both our commercial and our traditional vendors to push forth further solutions for our dealers. We’re interest-ed in having technologies talk to each other, taking some of the commercial projects that, traditionally,

AV support is indicative of a nationwide trend toward expanding medical care and the subsequent need for more healthcare provid-ers. “Many of our nation’s workforce right now are baby boomers,” noted El-giadi. “And they’re getting ready to retire. They’ll need to be taken care of.” His own IT department at the

WSU Spokane campus re-flects the needs for AV sup-port, which is comprised of 22 professionals, as well as temporary student help.

For more information

about Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing, go to http://nursing.wsu.edu. To learn more about Avidex, go to www.avidexav.com. n