Small Animal Simulation Laboratory
RECOVER® Initiative
The Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER®) Initiative was spearheaded by a team of veterinary emergency and critical care specialists in 2010 with the goal of developing and disseminating the first evidence-based veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines.
HOW RECOVER® CERTIFICATION WORKS
About Us
The Small Animal Simulation Laboratory (SaSimLab) operates within Louisiana State
University School of Veterinary Medicine under the direction of Dr. Nancy Mitropoulou,
DVM, DECVECC. Supported by LSU resources and a dedicated team of faculty from the
Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) Department, the lab serves as a hub for innovation
in veterinary simulation-based education. Through collaboration with instructors passionate
about experiential learning, SaSimLab integrates simulation training into a variety
of LSU Vet Med’s clinical skills courses, enhancing hands-on learning and team performance.
Dr. Nancy Mitropoulou, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, leads the lab’s educational and research initiatives. She specializes in high-fidelity simulation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and mechanical ventilation. Dr. Mitropoulou completed “Faktor Mensch” human factors training in Germany in collaboration with the University of Giessen Department of Human Medicine. She is a RECOVER® Certified BLS/ALS Instructor and has participated in Cornell University’s cardiopulmonary simulation workshops, bringing expertise in team dynamics and human performance to veterinary resuscitation and crisis management. At LSU and previous institutions, she has developed and led numerous simulation labs and CPR workshops for veterinary students and professionals, emphasizing practical skill development, decision-making, and effective communication under pressure.
Explore Education
Evidence-based - Hands-on - Team-focused
- RECOVER®-aligned CPR Curricula
- Basic Life Support
- Advanced Life Support
- Post-ROSC Care
- CPR Megacode - High Fidelity Team Scenarios
- Team Leadership and Closed-Loop Communication
- Objective Skills Assessment and Debriefing
- Ventilation Training
- Fundamental concepts of mechanical ventilation on passive patients
- Techniques for ventilating spontaneously breathing patients
- Training in neonatal and pediatric ventilation
- Progressive, multistage scenarios integrating patient assessment and clinical decision‑making
Contact Us
Have questions about curricula, scheduling, or collaboration? Contact us at sasimlab@lsu.edu
Location
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
Skip Bertman Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Shipping
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
ATTN: Dr. Mitropoulou (Veterinary Clinical Sciences)
1909 Skip Bertman Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Donations
If you are interested in supporting our lab, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Email us at sasimlab@lsu.edu, and we will gladly provide you with further guidance on how you can contribute to advancing veterinary simulation.