New ‘Sim Home’ gives families the preparation they need for post-hospital life with a medically complex child
Maryland Heights, Mo. (Dec. 2, 2025) – Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., has opened the state’s first in-hospital simulated home for families with medically complex children, offering a unique overnight experience.
The only hospital of its kind in Missouri and one of a select few in the country, Ranken Jordan specializes in caring for children and their families with the most complex conditions, illnesses and injuries, bridging the gap between hospital and home.
Caring for a medically complex child requires special training to ensure a parent or caregiver knows how to use medical equipment, like trachs or ventilators.
Ranken Jordan has long provided caregiving training but its new Simulated Home Environment–Sim Home for short–gives families the chance to practice the skills they’ve learned in a more homelike environment while their child is still in the hospital.
Sim Home is the first and only pediatric hospital-based simulated home for caregivers in Missouri and one of just a small number nationwide.
“When a child is discharged, the family goes from having 10 or more Ranken Jordan staff taking care of their child to going home and it’s just them,” said Kristin LaRose, Chief Nursing Officer at Ranken Jordan. “We are always looking for ways to meet unmet needs and we identified a space like our new Sim Home as a priority. The purpose of Sim Home is to allow patients and their families to re-establish themselves as a family and build the confidence they need to know they can take care of their child safely when they get home.”
Ranken Jordan’s Sim Home space was inspired by a visit to Bethany Children’s Health Center in Bethany, Okla., which has a mocked-up home environment on its campus. The house sparked an idea for the Ranken Jordan team to create a similar home environment where families could stay overnight and “practice” life with their child.
Sim Home is an example of the comprehensive training and resources Ranken Jordan offers families to ensure they learn how to take care of their child safely. For every child discharged, for instance, the family is sent home with a “Go Bag,” a free duffel bag full of any supplies they need, plus a few restaurant and food delivery gift cards, to make the first 48 hours at home easier.
Ranken Jordan’s dedication to families, in addition to its patients, is part of its unique care model, Care Beyond the Bedside, which focuses on caring for the whole child and giving kids experiences away from their hospital bed.
Nick Holekamp, MD, Ranken Jordan’s Chief Health Transformation Officer, said making sure a family is prepared to care for their child after discharge is a crucial piece of the Care Beyond the Bedside ethos.
“Ranken Jordan patients are often in the hospital for a prolonged period of time which can be stressful on a family,” Dr. Holekamp said. “We believe taking care of a patient’s family is just as important as taking care of the child. Kids thrive when they’re with the people they love so getting a patient home safely is critical to their well-being and healing. Sim Home is an example of our focus on providing solutions for families. We are always looking for ways to improve the lives of our patients and their families while they’re at Ranken Jordan, but getting everyone home safely and happy is our ultimate goal.”
To support Ranken Jordan, visit rankenjordanfoundation.org/donate.
